


Join Me If You Want

by shamelessurbanbunny



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Denial, Feelings, Gay Bar, M/M, Not What It Looks Like, Walk Into A Bar, What Have I Done, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 11:58:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 75,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8532202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamelessurbanbunny/pseuds/shamelessurbanbunny
Summary: An AU fic set before Aaron and Robert’s affair started. What if Robert hadn’t turned down Aaron’s offer to go out for drinks? Aaron walks in on the Sugden family trying to mend fences over dinner. Robert ends up walking out, and Aaron later finds him idling in his car. He asks Robert out for drinks to take his mind off of things. This AU fic takes a very different turn than the show when Robert agrees to go for drinks instead of brushing Aaron off.





	1. Chapter 1

**3 December 2014  
Wednesday**

“Robert!”

The tall blond didn’t stop when Victoria called his name. Aaron watched him collect his jacket and storm out of the pub’s backroom, leaving an awkward silence as Robert’s family sat there. They were wearing looks with varying levels of resignation on them. Aaron hesitated; he’d already grabbed a plate and had been set to serve himself, but he’d mainly said yes to dinner in order to rile Robert up. He had succeeded better than he’d thought he would. At most, he thought it might gall the older man to have to sit at table with him, knowing as he did that Robert liked to look down his nose at others. And he definitely didn’t seem to think much of Aaron, who was nothing more than a common thief in his book.

He hadn’t expected Robert to walk out after Aaron had accepted Diane’s invitation to join the dysfunctional Sugden family as they ate. Now it felt awkward to stay and eat with them. He put down the serving spoon he’d grabbed, but Victoria noticed and hurried to reassure him. “It’s alright, Aaron. The rest of us are still going to finish our meal.”

Feeling like he couldn’t turn down the invitation now, he resigned himself to an awkward meal and loaded his plate. He took Robert’s seat, pushing the other man’s plate aside. “Sorry if I made things worse,” he said, noticing how each of them had gone quiet.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Diane told him. “We’re happy to have you.”

“You didn’t really interrupt, anyway,” Andy added, digging into his food. “There’s no way that was going to turn out well. It was a waste of time, like I knew it’d be.”

“He’s our brother,” Vic reminded Andy. “We have to try and mend fences!”

“I don’t know what else you want me to do,” Andy said, looking bothered. “He’s the one that keeps ruining things. We’d all be better off now if he hadn’t come back.”

Aaron ate in silence as the three Sugdens argued in front of him. As far as he could tell, Vic and Andy were on opposite ends. She wanted them all to make up and play happy families. He thought there was no overcoming their differences, and the only reason he kept trying to fix things with his brother was to please Victoria. Diane seemed to vacillate between the two. She wanted them all to get on, but didn’t seem to think it could ever happen.

The only thing the three of them seemed to agree on was that it was Robert’s fault they couldn’t get along.

By the time he’d cleared his plate, Aaron was feeling far more sympathy for Robert Sugden than he had when he’d accepted the invitation to sit down for dinner. The one thing in life that Aaron knew he could rely on was his family. He couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if the Dingles were the type who could blame him for ruining the family whenever he screwed up. The Sugdens just didn’t seem to have the same level of family loyalty. A Dingle had to do something to harm the entire family in order to be kicked out. And even then, if you could fix things, they would take you back. 

Before this, his interactions with Robert had been minimal. If Ross hadn’t been stupid enough to steal Robert’s car and fail to disable the tracker, Aaron would never have had cause to speak to the older man. As it was, he’d been blackmailed into burgling Home Farm, and then had a few run-ins with Robert because of it. Aaron had been warned to stay away from Chrissie, and he’d been confronted about an heirloom of Chrissie’s that Ross had stolen. Every time he’d had to speak to the arrogant blond, Aaron had left the confrontation annoyed.

Except for the last time they had spoken. That had been different. Robert - oddly enough - had come to the garage with a cup of coffee as a peace offering. He’d asked Aaron if they could be mates. The entire thing had been weird, and Aaron had simply told him he’d think about it. But he’d only said that so that Robert would go away.

He had thought that the offer to be mates was Robert’s ploy to get in good with him, so that Aaron would be willing to do more of his dirty work. It seemed to match up with what he knew of the older man. Aaron wasn’t going to let Robert pull a fast one on him, but maybe the next time they ran into each other, he’d give the other man a chance to prove himself. With Andy, Diane, and Vic so willing to blame their family troubles on Robert, it seemed like the least Aaron could do was hear him out. And if Robert proved himself to be slime, then that would be that, and Aaron could go back to trying to ignore the man.

 

*****

 

After clearing his plate, Aaron left the three Sugdens to continue arguing over Robert. They didn’t even notice when he left the table. The moment he stepped outside and closed the door behind him, shutting off the raised voices, he immediately felt better. And that was even when the first slap of cold air hit his face, the thick mist leaving his skin feeling damp.

Aaron tucked his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he walked away from the pub. He didn’t really have any plans on where to go or who to see. Normally on a night like this, he’d visit Adam and maybe go out for drinks. But Adam was serving his sentence now, and most of the friends Aaron had who were near his age had moved out of the area.

He was about to cross the road when he noticed the expensive Audi idling right there in front of him. Robert was sat inside, staring at nothing. Remembering his decision from just minutes ago to give the older man a chance, Aaron approached the car. The window let out the softest of noises as it descended part way, just low enough so they could comfortably talk without letting too much cold, wet air into the car.

“Sorry for crashing your dinner,” Aaron told him, figuring he may as well be the one to extend the olive branch this time. After all, it was Robert who had bought him a coffee the other day, offering to be mates.

“It wasn’t exactly going well before you arrived,” Robert said, voice laced with wry amusement.

“I always wanted a brother until I met you two.” When Robert cracked a smile at that, Aaron felt encouraged enough to continue. “Listen, I’m going into town later for a beer.”

“Yeah?” There was something about the way Robert was looking up at him that made him feel shy for asking. Aaron gave a shrug, suddenly - ridiculously - feeling like he was asking Robert out on a date.

“Join me if you want,” he offered, a bit awkwardly.

“You what?” The smile Robert had worn just a second ago had turned condescending. Had he picked up on how weird Aaron suddenly felt, asking him out for a beer?

“You know, just a drink,” he explained, not wanting Robert to misunderstand. He knew the older man was straight. Aaron hadn’t meant for it to get weird for Robert. He’d asked plenty of others out for drinks before without it getting this awkward.

For a moment, Aaron thought Robert was going to refuse. His smirk had an unpleasant quality to it when he opened his mouth to say something. Aaron prepared himself for whatever arrogant, irritating comment the other man was about to offload on him.

Robert paused, then closed his mouth and seemed to reconsider. The mocking grin was gone from his face when he looked up at Aaron and said, “Alright. When are you headed out?”

Aaron bit his lip, trying to mask his surprise. Shrugging again, he said, “Now, I suppose. I’m not going back in there, at any rate,” he told Robert, nodding toward the pub. “They’re all in a right mood.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. Come on, get in. We’ll drive out together.”

“Sound,” Aaron said, walking around the front of the car to get to the other side. He heard the lock open for him, so he reached out for the door handle and got in. It was nice and warm inside, and Aaron liked the way the supple leather bucket seat felt when he sat down. Robert put up his window as Aaron fastened his seat belt. As soon as it clicked into place, Robert was driving off.

He clearly liked the speed of his car. Soon they were tearing past the quiet country roads, the Audi seeming to fly down the smooth stretches and glide over the rough bits. As smooth as it was, Aaron found himself gripping the sides of his seat, holding his breath every time Robert turned a blind corner without slowing down as much as Aaron would have preferred. It wasn't as if Aaron drove like a grandpa when he was the one behind the wheel, but he liked to think he was a bit more cautious.

By the time they got to Hotten, Aaron had decided that even if both of them were completely sober by the end of the night, he’d prefer to take a taxi home. There was no way he was letting Robert drive him back to Emmerdale! If the way Robert was smirking at him as they got out of the car was any indication, he fully realized how nervous the car ride had made Aaron. They both closed their doors, and then Robert crossed his arms over the top of his car. “Alright, Aaron? You’re looking a bit pale.”

“Get stuffed,” he said, eyeing the other man’s grin resentfully.

“Come on, don’t be like that,” Robert laughed. “First round's on me, yeah?”

“Fine.”

“I just hope you can keep it down,” he said, looking at Aaron with exaggerated concern.

“Cheeky git,” Aaron said, rolling his eyes. “Alright, where to? I’m guessing you had some place in mind.”

“This is it,” Robert said, nodding his head at the bar he’d parked in front of. “You’re going to love this place!”

Aaron could already tell he was going to hate it, just by eyeballing the people hanging out in front of it. The place clearly catered to men and women in their thirties and forties, business types coming straight from the office. And the people who didn’t look like they worked some high end job were still dressed very nicely. Aaron was sure he’d be the only one inside wearing a hoodie.

He still followed Robert in, and sat down with him at a high table. A waiter came by for their drink order right away. “Can I start you off with something to drink?” the man asked.

“Bourbon, neat,” Robert ordered.

“Lager, thanks.” The waiter stared at him expectantly. “What?” he asked, feeling a bit defensive and out of place.

“Did you have any preferences?”

“Whatever is fine,” Aaron told him. The waiter nodded and left them alone.

“So?” Robert asked him. “I bet this is nicer than you’re used to.”

It was certainly fancier, but not nicer. He didn’t care for the way Robert said it, as if Aaron spent his days dreaming about going to fancy bars. He gave a careless shrug and said, “I guess. If this is what you’re into.”

“What’s wrong with it?” Robert asked him, looking around curiously.

“Nothing,” Aaron said, pleased at the way his opinion seemed to matter. “I mean, I’m sure someone like Chrissie or Lawrence would love it here.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Robert asked, looking over at him with some amusement. He had clearly caught on to the fact that Aaron was messing with him. “No wait, don’t tell me! You prefer somewhere a bit homier, like the Woolpack.” The waiter came by with their drinks. Aaron took a sip of his lager. He didn’t know what brand it was, but he could tell it was something he’d never had before. “So tell me, really, what’s not to like about this place? It’s classy and upscale.”

“It’s alright for people like you,” Aaron said, enjoying the way Robert seemed to gloat over that, as if Aaron was giving him a compliment. It made it all the sweeter when he added, “You know, for older people.”

“Hang on!” Robert protested. “I’m 28! That’s hardly old!”

“Really?” Aaron toyed with him, pretending to be shocked. “I thought for sure you were 32.” The blond glared at him, expression thunderous for a second before he finally realized Aaron was purposely riling him up. Aaron hid his smile behind his drink, but he wasn’t fooling Robert this time. The other man caught him trying to hide his amusement and smiled back.

“It’s a bit stuffy in here. Look at everyone. They’re all ready to take out their tablets and start working! There are loads of other bars better than this.”

“Alright, you’re on.”

“You what?” Aaron asked, not following.

“Loads you say? I guess we’re just going to have to find out, aren’t we?”

Aaron couldn’t help but laugh at that. “A bar crawl, seriously?”

Robert grinned at him, looking unexpectedly charming when he did it. There was no denying he was a handsome bloke, but it was the first time Aaron had found his smile to be anything other than irritatingly cocky. “Are you worried you can’t keep up with me?”

“I could drink you under the table any day, mate,” Aaron said, not worried. They finished up their drinks and then left, walking down the block until they spotted the next bar and slipped inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**3-4 December 2014  
Wednesday-Thursday**

It was touch and go at first, but by the time they walked into the third pub, Aaron had tentatively decided that Robert wasn’t so bad.

He could say the stupidest things, that was for sure. Aaron had already heard Robert mock Ross for being a thief without seeming to get that he was mocking Aaron in the same breath. But as much as Ross rubbed Robert the wrong way, he had much more to say about Lawrence White, the man he’d soon be calling father-in-law. He criticized the old man heavily, but as far as Aaron could tell, it was Lawrence that had taken a chance on Robert to begin with, letting him move up within the company. It seemed a bit ungrateful to bite the hand that fed him. Aaron was seriously considering just ending the night early so he wouldn’t have to listen to any more useless bragging or scathing criticism, but shortly after they entered the third pub of the evening, something happened to soften his opinion of the other man.

The two of them walked up to the bar, where Robert quickly caught the attention of the barmaid. Aaron saw her pause for a moment while she poured a pint for someone so that she could boldly look Robert over. He couldn’t fault her taste on that score. The blond was fit, and being irritating couldn’t change that. It was the second thing Aaron had noticed about him on day one, the first being that Robert was nothing but trouble.

For the most part, Aaron had done his best to ignore the attraction. It was mostly easy to do for two reasons: Aaron didn’t stand a chance with him because Robert was straight, and the older man could be so distastefully callous, even when it came to the woman he was set to marry. Still, sometimes he couldn’t help but look. And tonight, after he noticed the barmaid eyeing Robert appreciatively, Aaron decided to look.

Robert managed to seamlessly blend elegance with sex appeal. Aaron was normally attracted to blokes who seemed ready to roll up their sleeves and get dirty, willing or even happy to put in a hard day’s work. Robert was different. He always looked clean and put together. Tonight he wore a navy jumper that looked so amazingly soft, it made Aaron want to reach out to stroke his hand down Robert’s chest, just to see if it felt as good as it looked. The tempting jumper was paired with dark blue jeans and expensive shoes. A black leather jacket finished the look, pushing him from handsome and clean-cut to sexy and sophisticated.

The barmaid finished pouring the pint and hurried to hand it to the man who’d ordered it. She came over to stand in front of Aaron and Robert, making sure to lean forward on the bar to give the blond a look down her blouse. Robert gave her a knowing smile. “What’ll you have?” she asked, trying to make her voice sound low and sultry. The appeal was lost on Aaron, of course. She sounded like she had a sore throat or something.

“Two shots of bourbon, thanks,” Robert told her.

“Coming right up,” she promised, giving Robert a flirtatious glance before moving away to get their order.

Aaron snorted when Robert looked over at him, clearly pleased with himself. “Too bad you’re engaged, eh?” Aaron said, resting his elbows on the bar.

“I’m engaged, not dead,” the blond replied. “It’s not a crime to look around, is it? It’s not like I plan on doing anything.”

“I wasn’t criticising you, mate,” Aaron assured him, having heard an edge creep into the other man’s tone. He belatedly remembered that Robert had a checkered past with women. By all accounts, he’d never been able to stay faithful. Until now, supposedly.

The barmaid deposited their drinks in front of them, giving Robert an extra smile before moving on to the next punter. “Yeah, well sometimes it feels like no one ever lets go of the past,” Robert told him. Aaron nodded, biting his lip as he considered that for a moment. It was one of the reasons he’d wanted to go to France, with Ed. He’d hated the way everyone looked at him after Jackson had died. It had helped to go away for a couple of years, to get some distance.

“I suppose that’s true,” Aaron finally said, before drinking half his shot. He wasn’t a fan of bourbon, but they had agreed that they’d have better luck holding their drink if they didn’t mix liquor. Aaron had opted to get the same drink as Robert, because later in the night it’d be easier on whoever was doing the ordering.

He caught Robert looking over at him, as if surprised Aaron was agreeing with him. “It’s a small village,” Aaron said. “People gossip. They get this idea of you in their heads, and then it’s like they never let it go. There’s no room to remake yourself, you know?”

“It sounds like you’re talking from experience,” Robert said, eyebrows raised questioningly as he brought his shot glass to his lips.

Aaron shrugged. “Let’s just say I wasn’t always this pleasant to be around.”

Robert choked on his drink, lowering the glass and covering his mouth with his hand. Aaron slapped his back for him, earning a glare from the blond. “I’m sorry, but you - pleasant?” Robert asked, a bit red in the face.

“You’re saying I’m not?” Aaron demanded teasingly.

That’s when Robert laughed.

It was the first time he’d ever heard the blond laugh so genuinely. He often smiled smugly and snickered mockingly, but tonight, he just looked and sounded happy. He reached out to clap Aaron playfully on the shoulder, as if they were good mates. Aaron couldn’t keep himself from smiling, actually a bit pleased that he was the one who’d made Robert laugh. He still wasn’t entirely sure why the other man had chosen him to try to befriend, but Aaron certainly hadn’t seen him cozy up to anyone else besides the Whites.

It was then that Aaron decided that Robert was a decent bloke underneath that layer of arrogance. He actually liked the man after he’d had a few drinks and had loosened up enough to laugh. Aaron smiled into his shot glass, taking a final sip and wondering what Robert would be like later in the evening after a few more drinks. The sound of that carefree laugh was still fresh in his ears, and he wondered if he could get Robert to do it again.

Just then, Aaron felt someone tap him on the back. He turned on his stool and found himself looking at an old friend, a bloke he’d met at Bar West a few years ago. “Aaron!” Ben exclaimed happily. Aaron slid off his stool and gave the other man a back-pounding hug.

“Alright,” Aaron said, happy to see him. He looked over at Robert, who was eyeing Ben in a thoughtful way. He looked cross at being interrupted, his dark blond brows lowered as he frowned a bit. Aaron couldn’t really say what was going on in the other man’s head at the moment, but ended up just shrugging it off. “Ben is an old friend of mine,” Aaron told him. “Ben, Robert is… I guess he’s a new mate. From Emmerdale.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ben said. The handsome brunette looked around then, as if searching for someone. “I came in with my boyfriend, but I think he must have headed for the toilets. I’ll introduce you to him when he comes back, eh?”

“So how do you know Aaron?” Robert asked, looking a bit warmer toward Ben now, for some reason.

“I met him at a gay bar,” Ben said, wagging his eyebrows at Aaron suggestively. He was attractive, but his eyebrows were quite bushy. Normally, Aaron thought they suited Ben. The man was a giant, tall and well muscled, with a full beard and long light brown hair that he kept tied back. Being big and hairy was just part of his look. But when he wagged his eyebrows, it suddenly emphasized them in a less than flattering way.

“Er, don’t ever do that again,” Aaron laughed, a bit embarrassed at the attention, even if it was done in jest. “If that’s how you flirt, I’m amazed you’ve got yourself a boyfriend. I’m starting to think this bloke is imaginary.”

“I’m quite real,” a man said, coming up behind Ben and placing a hand on his waist. The newcomer was slim, dark, and much shorter than Ben. Aaron watched as his friend automatically wrapped his big arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders, holding him in close to his side. The gesture was automatic, as if they often stood that way.

“Aaron, this is my boyfriend, Sanjay.”

“Just call me Jay,” the shorter man said.

Ben looked down at his boyfriend, smiling at him. “Aaron and I used to get into all sorts of trouble until he decided to up and move to France.”

“What kind of trouble?” Robert asked, actually sounding curious.

Aaron gave a shrug. “Mostly drunken arguments. We got tossed out of a fair number of pubs.”

“Jay doesn’t let me get into that kind of trouble anymore,” Ben laughed, giving his boyfriend a small squeeze.

“I’m sure Jay can make an exception for one night, can’t he?” Robert asked. “We’ve just begun a pub crawl. We’ve barely gotten started, if you want to come with.”

Aaron was a bit surprised that Robert had invited the two men. When Ben had first approached them, the blond had looked annoyed at the interruption. Aaron wondered at the change of heart as Robert got the barmaid’s attention and ordered two drinks for the newcomers.

 

*****

 

“One, two, three!” they all shouted.

Aaron tipped his head back, taking the shot in one swallow. He slapped his glass down on the bar, feeling stupidly triumphant that he was the first to do so, meaning he’d gotten it down faster than the others. Robert, Ben, and Jay weren’t far behind him though, setting their shot glasses down with a clatter. Ben was coughing, a big hand covering his mouth so he wouldn’t spit anything back up. He’d have to take another shot if he didn’t swallow all of it.

Aaron had taken his own shot fast enough that he hadn’t tasted it going down, but the bourbon was thick on his tongue afterward. He grimaced at the taste, heartily sick of it after having had several shots already tonight. “Why did you have to pick bourbon?” he asked Robert, who was stood to his right. “I feel like I’ve burned a hole in my stomach!”

Robert laughed at him, making Aaron smile again at the carefree sound. The blond threw a friendly arm around Aaron’s shoulders, pulling him in close. “Have you had enough?” the older man teased him.

“Shut up,” Aaron said, more than a bit distracted by having Robert so near. He could smell the other man’s light cologne. Looking up into his face from so up close felt far more intimate than it had any right to.

Robert had to be well and truly drunk, because he reached up with his free hand to grip Aaron’s chin, squeezing his cheeks so that his lips puckered up. “Aw, look at you!” he cooed. “All grumpy and up past your bedtime!”

Aaron glared at him, which set Robert off into peals of laughter. The sound was infectious, and Aaron found himself chuckling stupidly. He was too buzzed to stop, and sober enough to know that he’d be embarrassed if he wasn’t so drunk. He reached up and wrapped his hand around Robert’s wrist, tugging his hand down so the other man would stop squeezing his cheeks.

“Do that again and I’ll deck you,” he said breathlessly, trying to bite back a chuckle so Robert would know he was serious.

“You’re no fun!” the other man complained.

“Aaron’s decked other men for less,” Ben said, stumbling a bit as he tried to seat himself on a bar stool. “Count yourself lucky, mate!”

Realizing that he was still holding onto Robert’s wrist, Aaron let go and reached out for a bowl of peanuts sitting in front of him on the bar. If he was going to make it through a few more pubs, he had to keep his stomach lined and order more water. The first peanut he tried to eat fell to the floor when he forgot to open his mouth. Aaron tried again, giggling under his breath and leaning in against Robert as his knees got weak.

Robert’s arm tightened around him, bracing him. “Are you going to share those?” he asked. Aaron held the bowl out to him, but Robert just gave him a devilish look, blue-green eyes sly as he parted his lips like he expected to be fed by hand.

“Are you kidding me?” Aaron scoffed, amused despite himself. “You won’t like it if I do.” Robert pouted at him pathetically, making him bite his lip so he wouldn’t laugh. Getting an idea, Aaron said, “Alright, open up.” He waited until Robert had parted his lips again, and then he reached up and crammed an entire handful of peanuts into his gob instead of just one.

Robert snorted in amusement, spraying peanuts all over Aaron. “Ugh! Gross, Rob!” he cried out. He tried to move out of the line of fire, but Robert drew him in until Aaron was pressed flush against him, both of Robert’s arms now holding him captive. They broke out into gales of laughter, clinging drunkenly to one another as Ben and Jay grabbed the bowl and began pelting them with peanuts.

“Oi!” the barmaid called out, rushing over to where they stood. “Stop that! If that’s how you’re going to act, you can just leave!”

“Come on,” Jay chuckled, grabbing Ben’s hand and tugging him toward the exit. “Bar West is right across the way.”

Robert kept his hold on him as they followed the two men out. He did feel a bit unsteady on his feet, but he was also enjoying the way the taller man was wrapped around him to help keep him steady. Aaron sneaked an arm around Robert’s waist, sliding it in under the leather jacket. The navy cashmere jumper was decadently soft against his rough fingertips as he settled his hand on Robert’s waist. He could feel the fabric sliding easily against the other man’s skin while they walked, trying to keep up with Ben and Jay.

Aaron knew he should back off, that he was beginning to take Robert’s friendliness toward him a bit too far. It felt good to lean in against the other man’s warmth as they stumbled across the street, while a cold mist settled on his heated face. He made a halfhearted attempt to put some space between them, but Robert’s hold on him was tight. Aaron gave in readily, turning his face in toward Robert’s chest to help protect him from the cold until they made it into Bar West.

“Let’s grab a table,” Jay suggested. “I don’t think I can stand anymore.”

“I think this is the last stop for the two of us,” Ben said as the group converged on a booth. Both Aaron and Robert complained at that, but the other two men wouldn’t be swayed. Ben ordered them a round of shots as an apology for cutting the night short. Aaron took a deep breath before gulping his down, wincing once again at the taste.

He saw Robert reaching for him, like he was going to squeeze his cheeks again. Aaron grabbed at his hand, pressing it down against the tabletop and keeping it captive under his. “Not on your life,” he told the blond, who gave him an incorrigible smirk.

“Buy me another shot, and I’ll behave,” Robert promised.

“It’s your turn!” Aaron protested.

“I think it’s mine,” Jay spoke up. Aaron really couldn’t remember, but he let the smaller man get up from their booth to head over to the bar. He finally let go of Robert’s hand, aware of how smooth and warm it was under his own calloused fingers. Jay soon came back with only two shots, which he passed along to Aaron and Robert. Clearly he and Ben intended to sit this one out.

“Cheers,” Aaron said, clinking his shot glass against Robert’s. He barely managed to finish the shot this time, throat closing for a moment before he forced himself to swallow. “Ugh! If we ever do this again, we’re ordering anything except bourbon. This stuff is rank!”

Robert giggled sloppily, sagging limply against Aaron. “Oi! Don’t pass out,” he begged, not wanting to call it quits yet.

“I’m not,” Robert swore, sitting up straight. He seemed to look around for the first time since they’d walked in five minutes ago. It was funny the way his face went slack with surprise as he took in the sight before him. “It’s a gay bar!” he exclaimed, sounding shocked.

Aaron snorted, finding his amazement hilarious. “Well spotted!”

“But I’m not gay!” he protested, clearly confused.

Rolling his eyes, Aaron caught Jay and Ben exchanging an odd glance. “Don’t worry, Rob,” Aaron reassured him. “They serve straight people too.”

“Alright,” Robert said. “Another round?”

Aaron was about to answer when he felt a phone vibrating against his thigh. He and Robert reached down for it, fingers tangling as they both tried to grab it. Aaron belatedly realized that it wasn’t his own mobile, which was in his right pocket. He hadn’t realized how close he and Robert were sitting, their thighs pressed together, until he felt Robert’s phone vibrating like it was in his own left pocket. Aaron scooted over a tiny bit and withdrew his hand so the other man had room to dig it out of his pocket.

“It’s Chrissie,” Robert moaned, looking down at the display. He hit answer and brought the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

Aaron saw Ben lean in toward him over the tabletop, so he pressed forward to hear him over the music. Ben lowered his voice, glancing at Robert while the blond spoke to his fiancee. “I thought the two of you were a couple!”

“Just mates,” Aaron explained.

“You sure about that?” Ben asked.

“Completely. He’s as straight as they come. He’s getting married soon.” Aaron wondered why he suddenly felt saddened by the thought. He blamed it on the alcohol, realizing he was probably about to take a funny turn and get all moody.

He wasn’t the only one losing his joyful buzz. Aaron looked over at Robert when the other man nudged his arm. He was holding out his mobile to Aaron, like he expected him to take it. “Tell her I’m not seeing another woman,” Robert said, red-faced and furious. “She won’t believe me!”

Aaron held the mobile up to his ear. “Robert’s with me,” he said.

“Aaron?” she asked, sounding uncertain.

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here,” he said somewhat stupidly, feeling a bit like he was floating in his seat. Just as quickly as his mood had mellowed, Aaron suddenly found himself laughing, struck at how ironic it was that Chrissie should think Robert was cheating on her when he was sat at a table with three gay men.

“Aaron?” she said again, sounding even more confused.

“You’ve got nothing - and I mean nothing! - to worry about,” he assured her, giving Robert a nod to let him know he had his back. “Robert’s not cheating on you! We’re at a gay bar.”

“What are you doing at a gay bar?” Chrissie asked him.

“Being gay,” Aaron said, chuckling to himself at how clever that was. “I’ve got Ben here, and his boyfriend, Jay.”

“Jai is there with you? Jai Sharma?”

“No, not that one. The other one.”

“Which other one?”

Robert leaned in close, shouting in Aaron’s ear. “Tell her I haven’t even looked at another woman!”

“I heard,” Chrissie said, before Aaron could relay the message.

“Well, there was this barmaid at this one pub,” Aaron recalled. “But he wasn’t going to do anything.”

“Give me that,” Robert demanded, holding his hand out for his mobile.

An idea occurred to him, and he felt quite pleased with himself when he told Chrissie, “Hang on, we’re going to send you a photo! Just wait for it.”

Robert’s frustrated expression cleared, and he grinned. “Brilliant!” Aaron ended the call without saying anything further to Chrissie, then handed the phone over to Robert who held it up in front of them for a selfie. “Come here, get in close,” Robert said. Aaron leaned in a bit toward the other man as Robert tried to hold his phone steady. His hand bobbed as he took the photo, and he groaned when it came up blurry on the display for a second before the camera once again began tracking their faces, ready for the next attempt.

“Give it here,” Ben said, grabbing the phone out of Robert’s hand. “Alright, smile!” Aaron actually found himself grinning as the flash went off and left a dark spot in his vision. “Another one!” Ben demanded, sounding like a photographer at a photo shoot. “Come on, lads! Put some effort into it. That’s it! Love the glare, Aaron. Maybe a little less fierce? You know what, never mind, I love the scowl - let’s go with it, yeah? Now get in there, Robert, put your arm around him. That’s right. And now with a bit more love in it! No, no. What are you trying to do, squeeze him to death? Less hugging and more loving, Robert.”

Aaron was tucked under Robert’s arm when he felt Robert press a kiss to his cheek. He smiled shyly, not expecting it. The flash went off one last time. “Perfect!” Ben cried out.

His vision was severely impaired with dark and bright spots everywhere, but he could still vaguely make out Jay grabbing the phone from Ben. “What’s your bird’s name, mate?” he asked, clearly about to send one of the photos.

“Chrissie,” Robert said, letting go of Aaron.

“Alright, I’ve just sent it! Now she’ll have no doubts about what you’ve been up to.”

“Thanks,” Robert said, taking his phone back. “I owe you one!" 

"It was my idea," Aaron reminded him.

"Right, so what do you say to another round?”

“Yeah, as soon as I can see again,” Aaron promised. "No way is this night over yet!"

“And to hell with what Chrissie thinks,” Robert added, leaning in close. Aaron looked at him, watching the other man's features break past the floating dots in his vision. "I don't care how suspicious she gets. We're going to have fun tonight, that's a promise."

Looking into those bright blue-green eyes, Aaron didn't doubt it for a moment. Tonight was going to be a night to remember.


	3. Chapter 3

**4 December 2014  
Thursday**

 

“That’s like the fourth time already!” Aaron exclaimed, frustrated when Robert’s phone once again lit up. The blond had placed it on the table while he left to go fetch the next round of drinks. Each time Chrissie called, her face appeared on the screen, smiling up at them. “We sent her the photo, what more does she need? He’s not cheating on her!”

“Go on, you should answer it!” Jay urged him. Aaron reached out for it, the alcohol he’d been drinking all night making him stupid.

“It’s not his phone, you muppet,” Ben scolded his boyfriend as Aaron grabbed Robert’s mobile. “Just leave it, Aaron. Robert will answer it when he comes back.”

The call went to voicemail just as Aaron tried to answer it, the screen once again darkening. Somewhat disappointed that he wouldn’t have the chance to tell Chrissie to do one, he set the phone back down. Seconds later, her face reappeared as she called right back. She was clearly not satisfied with leaving Robert a message. Before he could pluck up the mobile and answer the call, Ben swept it up, his reflexes much faster than Aaron’s at the moment.

“Come on, lad, what are you thinking?” Ben scolded him.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “If I was getting married to her, I’d throw my mobile out.”

“You might feel different if she was a bloke and had a cock between her legs!” Ben laughed.

Somewhat disturbed by that visual, Aaron shook his head so emphatically it made him dizzy. “No, mate, I don’t do clingy and jealous. Someone like that would do my head in.”

“Here I am!” Robert exclaimed triumphantly, walking unsteadily toward their booth. The tall man tripped over his own feet, stumbling forward and catching himself on the table. Aaron was laughing at him, the surprised look on Robert’s face setting him off. “Shut up, you,” Robert told him, trying to straighten himself up.

Aaron’s laughter disappeared quickly when he saw that Robert had been followed to the table by a young, fresh-faced lad with wide brown eyes and ruffled hair. The boy clearly worked for Bar West: he was carrying a tray with four shots on it, and was wearing a shiny name tag. He was also staring down at Robert’s arse, which is what made Aaron start scowling.

His limbs didn’t quite want to cooperate with him, but Aaron still managed to shakily get to his feet. “Go on, sit down,” he told Robert. The older man sat on their shared bench, and then scooted in so he was against the wall. Aaron wanted to stand there and be intimidating, but everything was beginning to look like it was slipping and sliding around him. He gave the boy a look to warn him off, then tried to maintain a certain degree of dignity as he lowered himself down onto the bench. His legs gave out as he sat, so that he ended up plopping down on the bench harder than expected.

“Alright?” Robert asked him.

“Course,” Aaron told him, not taking his eyes off the boy. At least the lad had the decency to look somewhat apologetic as he set the shots down on the table. He placed the first one in front of Robert, smiling hesitantly at the blond. The smile was wiped clean off his face when he placed the second shot in front of Aaron and saw him frowning disapprovingly.

“You shouldn’t have bought us anything!” Jay said when the final two shots were deposited in front of him and Ben.

“I didn’t,” Robert answered, leaning over the table to grab the drinks and slide them over to his side. “You already said you’re done for the night. These are for me and Aaron!”

“Anything else you need?” the boy asked, looking directly at Robert.

“We’re fine, now do one!” Aaron told him, annoyed. The lad had the nerve to look offended, but he did as he was told.

“If I didn’t already know you were a Dingle, I’d have been able to guess,” Robert laughed at him, completely oblivious to the fact that the boy had just been ogling him. Aaron felt a bit easier when Robert reached out to give his shoulder a playful slap. “What’s got your knickers in a twist?”

It was Ben who answered, smiling so widely that his grin could easily be seen past his thick, long beard. “We were just talking about how he doesn’t do clingy and jealous. Are you sure about that, Aaron?” Ben asked, taking the piss out of him.

“What, are you seeing someone?” Robert asked him with interest. “Jealous type, is he? You should definitely dump him. Who needs the hassle, eh?”

“You’re not shy about giving your advice, are you,” Aaron commented, feeling on the spot. He knew he had no grounds to get possessive over Robert. It wasn’t right. Knowing he was in the wrong just put him in a worse mood. “And you’re one to talk. Chrissie’s called you like five times since you got up to buy this round. She clearly doesn’t trust you! Maybe you ought to follow your own advice and dump her.”

Ben passed Robert his mobile, and right on cue, Chrissie rang again. Aaron was getting really tired of seeing her grinning up at him. Robert answered the call quickly. “Chrissie, sorry I missed your-” It was clear she’d interrupted him when he cut off his words abruptly. It was also very clear that she was yelling at him. Aaron watched as Robert’s expression grew darker and darker. He listened in on Robert’s side of the conversation. “Now, hang on! I didn’t- You’re getting upset over nothing. No, you’re taking it completely the wrong way. How many times, Chrissie, I’m not cheating on you! So what if I kissed him? It doesn’t count because he’s a man. And it was just a harmless kiss on the cheek, alright? It was just for a laugh. Look, Chrissie, I’m telling you it was a joke, nothing more.”

Aaron had no doubt that his expression had turned as dark as Robert’s. It was stupid, so stupid, but he found his feelings were hurt by the other man’s words. So kissing him was a joke, was it? He listened to Robert’s repeated excuses and apologies for as long as he could stand before he reached out and stole the phone from him. “Chrissie, it’s Aaron,” he said, shoving Robert’s hand away when the blond tried to take the phone back. “You can stop your worrying, alright? There’s no point getting worked up about it, is there? Robert’s not gay, but even if he was he doesn’t stand a chance with me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Robert demanded from next to him.

Aaron ignored him in favor of listening to Chrissie. “Right, I’m just supposed to believe he’s not your type and leave it at that?” she asked. “Do you think I’m stupid? You can tell me you have no interest in him, but you were smiling in that photo. And I know my fiance. I can tell when he’s having a good time, and he was definitely having a good time! You stay away from him, or you’ll regret it. Do I make myself clear?”

“Staying away from Robert is the easiest thing anyone’s ever asked me to do,” Aaron told her. Unwilling to hear any more, he handed the phone back to Robert.

The blond looked upset, frowning at Aaron as he accepted his mobile. He placed it on the table instead of speaking to her again. “What did you mean by that? I thought we were getting on. We’re supposed to be mates now.”

“Yeah, well your bird thinks otherwise,” Aaron told him. He reached out for one of the two shots sitting on the table in front of him and gulped it down.

Robert sulked beside him, taking one of his own shots. “Chrissie isn’t my keeper, you know,” Robert told him. “I can be mates with whoever I like. And I do, you know?”

“What?” Aaron asked, glancing over at the blond. He meant it to be a quick look, but he found himself captivated by the way Robert was gazing at him. His blue-green eyes were intent on Aaron’s face, watching him closely.

“Like you,” Robert answered him, leaning in a bit closer. Aaron held perfectly still, breathless as the other man closed the distance and kissed his cheek. He seemed to linger there for a few seconds while Aaron’s heart was thudding in his ears. When he finally pulled away, Aaron found himself turning his face toward Robert’s, so that their noses briefly slid along each other before the blond sat back. Aaron was very aware of how near Robert was sitting to him now, and he found it both exciting and confusing. There was no doubt he liked having the other man sitting so close their thighs touched, but it also didn’t make sense. Was he serious, or just having a laugh, like he’d told Chrissie?

“I thought you said the first kiss was just a joke,” he said, watching how Robert gave a small shiver, as if just the sound of Aaron’s voice was enough to make his body react. That thought had his own body getting warmer.

“And I thought you said I didn’t stand a chance with you,” Robert smirked.

It was funny how quickly his good mood returned. Aaron couldn’t stop a smile from forming on his lips, although he tried to hide it by looking away from Robert and reaching for his second shot. “Come on then, this night isn’t over yet, is it?”

Aaron pointedly ignored the look Ben was giving him from across the table. He’d kind of forgotten there were two other men sitting with them, to be honest. Robert counted off for them, lifting his shot to his lips to get ready. “One, two, three!” Aaron choked back the bourbon, sputtering and spitting half of it down his hoodie. He liked to think that he’d coughed it up in the sexiest way possible. Certainly Robert didn’t seem to care that he’d gagged. He was cracking up, like it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen. He leaned in, hands latching onto Aaron’s hoodie. “Let me help you with that,” Robert slurred.

Aaron sat still, incredibly turned on when the other man unzipped him. Robert dragged the hoodie down Aaron’s arms until he was left in just his black t-shirt. He didn’t miss the way Robert ran his hand down his arm, like he was feeling the muscles there. There was definitely something happening between them, and he was determined to figure out what it was by the end of the night. “I can get us another round,” he offered.

“Sounds good,” Robert murmured, his hand sliding back up Aaron’s biceps so he could place his arm around his shoulders.

“You should give it fifteen minutes or you’ll both be passed out on the table,” Ben told them. Jay punched his arm, giving him a look as if to shut him up.

Aaron wasn’t sure what those two were up to, and he tried to make sense of Jay’s aggravation with Ben. He saw Robert frown at them. “I thought you two were calling it a night? Me and Aaron are fine without you.” Ben and Jay had opted out of continuing on the pub crawl. They had both been trying to sober up, drinking water and waiting it out. It was starting to look like this was Aaron’s stopping point too. He didn’t think he’d be able to walk to another pub, not without falling flat on his face.

“Come on, Rob,” Aaron soothed the irate man, running his hand up and down Robert’s jean clad thigh before realizing what he was doing. He pulled away, settling both hands on the table where he could watch them. But at least his touch had Robert turning toward him, giving Aaron all of his attention. “They’re my mates. Give them a chance, yeah?”

“You know what I like about you, Aaron?” Robert asked him, shifting his arm from around Aaron’s shoulders so he could play with the short hair at his nape.

“What?”

Before Robert could answer, his phone went off, lighting up on the table where he had placed it. The blond gave an annoyed huff and let go of Aaron so he could pick it up. “Chrissie, not right now!” he moaned when he saw her face on the display. But he still answered anyway, bringing the phone to his ear. Aaron could only guess that Chrissie started talking as soon as she heard Robert answer, because the blond just sat there frowning as he listened. “Well I don’t care what you overheard, you shouldn’t have been listening in anyway.”

Aaron was a bit surprised when Robert simply hung up on Chrissie then. “So what did she want now?”

“Does it matter?” Robert asked. Before Aaron could answer, the other man leaned in and kissed him. Right on the lips. He froze for only a second, shocked at the suddenness of it, before he closed his eyes and melted into it, burying his hands in Robert’s hair and tugging him closer. It was passionate, messy, and exactly what he’d been fantasizing about all night.

Even if nothing else were to come of this, Aaron was going to hold onto this kiss forever.

*****

“Oh my god, where am I,” Aaron moaned. His eyelids were glued together from sleep, but even without opening them he could tell he wasn’t at home. The air didn’t smell right. His room was right above the pub, and it was like the walls had absorbed the faintest scent of crisp ale. Not enough to be overtly noticeable, but it was one of those things that Aaron had come to recognize when he laid in bed at night, trying to fall asleep. All he could smell now as he woke was the stale scent of bourbon overlaid by the fabric softener used on the covers that were pulled up all the way to his chin.

Not only didn’t the air smell right, but the bed didn’t feel right either. Aaron’s own mattress was nice and firm, just the way he liked it. The one he was on now was too soft. But if the air and the mattress weren’t enough to let him know he wasn’t at home, the fact that there was someone in bed with him would have tipped him off. He wasn’t in the habit of bringing blokes home with him. He didn’t care to face his mum’s nosiness if he did.

He could feel the weight of another man’s arm around his waist, and the hot press of a body against his back. Aaron laid there for a moment, trying to get his bearings. His head felt like a million cotton balls had been stuffed inside of it. It was a struggle to get past the cloudy thoughts, but it wasn’t too long before he remembered asking Robert out for drinks. Aaron must have had too much to drink, and then he must have pulled.

As if to confirm his thought, the arm around his waist tightened for a moment, and he heard a sleepy sigh from the man in bed with him. The stranger shifted closer, plastering himself against Aaron before quieting down. It was then that Aaron felt a telltale hardness pressing against his backside. Whoever the man was, he was sporting impressive morning wood.

Aaron wanted nothing more than to squeeze his eyes tightly shut and try to go back to sleep, but he just couldn’t. Not when there was an unknown man curled up behind him, spooning him. He reached up to rub at his eyes until they finally opened, and then he looked around. A big window was letting in plenty of sunlight, making Aaron squint in discomfort. His eyes felt puffy and sore, but he felt better now that he was able to see. He glanced down his covered body and spied the pale arm thrown over his waist. It didn’t look familiar.

Folding the covers down from where he’d tucked them up under his chin, he reached for the man’s arm to pull it off of him. Aaron paused before actually touching the man when he realized that his own arm was still clothed in his black hoodie. Actually, come to think of it, he was entirely dressed. He was even still wearing his boots. Aaron frowned as he once again tried to piece his memories together. He’d gone out with Robert. They had met up with Ben and his boyfriend Jay. And then they had gone on a pub crawl.

Aaron groaned, covering his face with his hand when he remembered how he’d been all over Robert the night before. He had used his own drunkenness as an excuse to hang onto the other man, acting like it was to keep his balance when really, he had just enjoyed cuddling up to Robert. God, that was embarrassing! Aaron hadn’t even been aware he was crushing on Robert until his defenses had been lowered by alcohol. His only hope of living that down was if Robert remembered even less of last night than he did! It was cold comfort that at some point during the night, he had detached himself from the handsome blond and had gone home with someone. Now he just needed to figure out who that someone was.

Wanting to get out of bed so he could crawl under a rock somewhere, Aaron once again reached for the arm of the mystery man behind him, intending to push him away so he could roll out of bed. Aaron grabbed hold of the freckled wrist lightly so as not to wake the man, and lifted the stranger’s arm. The man behind him shifted, pulling his wrist out of Aaron’s grip and snuggling even closer. He froze, wondering if the stranger was going to wake up, but whoever was spooning him finally settled back down. The man had tucked himself in so tightly against Aaron, that it was impossible to roll over to take a peek at him.

He carefully grabbed the man’s wrist again, but he responded by wrapping himself even more thoroughly around Aaron. That pale freckled arm was snagged around Aaron’s torso, and underneath the covers a leg had been thrown over his. Worse, the stranger was apparently getting aroused from their movements. He thrust against Aaron’s backside once before settling down again. Aaron had tried to be gentle in his efforts to dislodge the stranger, but he was more forceful on his next attempt to extricate himself, less than keen as he was to be dry humped by a man he couldn’t even remember.

He gripped the man’s arm firmly and pulled it off of him, then sat up straight so he could see who was next to him. “Robert!” he exclaimed, surprised. 

The older man had to have been on the verge of wakefulness already, because his eyes snapped open at Aaron’s shout. He was clearly confused and disoriented. Reddened blue-green eyes squinted blearily at Aaron. “Aaron?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep as his gaze swept over the unfamiliar room.

Watching Robert eye the room in confusion, Aaron realized he had it bad for the older man. The sight of him laying in bed was too tempting. Even though he was pale and rough looking after a night of heavy drinking, Robert was still fit. Aaron found his eyes roving eagerly over his face and body. The way Robert’s shaggy blond hair was pointing every which way made him want to reach out and smooth his fingers through the soft strands. The covers were pooled at Robert’s waist, pulled down after Aaron had sat up. It left the blond’s torso exposed. While Aaron had woken fully dressed, Robert had opted to go to sleep shirtless.

It was difficult to stop himself from staring. It was impossible to stop himself from thinking about the fact that he’d just woken up with Robert Sugden’s impressively sized erection pressed against his arse. It was hopeless trying to stop himself from thinking about the way Robert had thrust against his arse. It was futile trying to stop his cock from stirring with interest.

As he felt his body start reacting at the sight of the attractive man, Aaron panicked. He couldn’t do this. He threw the covers off of them both and jumped out of bed, trying to put some distance between them. Robert was left sprawled on the mattress, blinking up at him in surprise. Aaron stared, breath whooshing out of him as if Robert had just punched him in the gut. His shock lasted for only a moment, and then he sucked in a harsh breath.

“Robert, why are you naked!” Aaron shouted.

“You what?” the other man said slowly, apparently still sluggish after waking. Aaron tried very hard to keep his eyes trained on Robert’s face after his first glance at his body. Because he was so focused, he saw the moment the confusion was replaced with horror. He saw Robert’s eyes widen when he realized he was sprawled on the bed completely nude, every inch of him on display.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Robert demanded, sitting up and pulling the covers to him.

“I just did!” Aaron yelled, unreasonably upset. He was sure if he’d woken up like this next to Adam, they’d have both been laughing their heads off, no matter how wretchedly hungover they felt. But this wasn’t Adam. It was Robert, the man who Aaron had only just realized he was infatuated with. The site of that pale, tight, muscled body was burned into his mind, and he knew that he would never be able to forget it now.

“Well you should have said something before!” Robert shouted at him, struggling to get off the bed without dropping the cover. “I hope you got a good look, because that’s the last one you’ll ever get!”

That certainly managed to kill his arousal. Was Robert seriously implying that Aaron had intentionally tried to perve on him? “Don’t flatter yourself!” Aaron snapped. “You’re not my type. I definitely don’t fancy you!”

Robert was on his feet now, tucking the cover around his waist. It left his chest bare, and despite being furious at the way Robert was lashing out at him unfairly, Aaron still took notice. It was a very attractive chest, smooth and hairless like the man’s face - his face, which currently sported a sour expression. “No need to be rude about it,” Robert told him, disgruntled.

“Are you kidding me?” Aaron asked, hardly able to believe it. First, Robert accused Aaron of perving on him, and then he had the nerve to get upset when Aaron told him he hadn’t? “You’re unbelievable. You know what, I don’t know where we are, but I’m out of here.”

Aaron had been on the side of the bed furthest from the door. He had to walk past Robert to get out. The man stopped him with a strong hand on his arm, pulling Aaron to a stop. “Just wait a second!”

“Let go. I’m warning you, Robert.”

The other man let go, holding his hands up to show he wasn’t going to try anything. “Just wait, alright? Don’t you think we should figure out what we’re going to say before you go rushing off?” Aaron shook his head, not understanding. He saw Robert roll his eyes, and then place his hands on his hips, drawing Aaron’s attention to his lower abdomen, where the cover looked like it was struggling to stay put. “Well, it’s obvious we slept together! I can’t have Chrissie finding out. You’re going to ruin everything!”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not the one who woke up naked,” Aaron pointed out. “I don’t know what you got up to last night, but it wasn’t to do with me!” He tried to suppress the part of him that was unhappy about that, even though he knew it was unlikely he’d have remembered a single moment of it. Not only that, but it would also have complicated things if they had actually slept together. Robert was straight, which meant that if anything had happened between them, it would have been as a result of Aaron taking advantage of him. However much he suddenly found himself fancying the blond, he couldn’t live with it if he’d forced himself on Robert. The very idea made Aaron sick to his stomach.

“So… nothing happened between us?” Robert asked him, sounding relieved.

“Yeah, so you can stop bricking it. I’m out of here.” Aaron pushed past Robert and opened the bedroom door, storming out into the next room. He stopped short, surprised to see Ben and Jay sitting on the sofa in what was apparently their living room.

“Morning,” Ben said, nodding cautiously at Aaron. “Having a lover’s spat already?”

“That’s not funny,” Aaron told him.

“What did he just say?” Robert demanded, coming up behind Aaron. “Just so we’re clear, nothing happened between us. So I’d appreciate if you’d mind your own business.”

Ben raised his eyebrows at that. Aaron turned on Robert, getting in his face. “That’s my mate you’re talking to. You’d better watch what you say, or you’ll have me to answer to.”

“What, you think I’m scared of you?” Robert scoffed.

Aaron was about to do something he’d no doubt regret when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Jay, pulling him away from Robert. He must have gotten up off the sofa and hurried over when it looked like things might get physical. “It’s okay, Aaron, just leave it. Ben’s not going to get his feelings hurt over something like this.”

Robert gave a derisive snort and stormed back into the bedroom. He slammed the door shut, probably so he could get dressed. Aaron turned toward Ben and Jay to apologize, feeling in some way responsible for Robert. “Don’t worry about it,” Ben said before Aaron could get a single word out. “How about you stay for breakfast?”

“I should be getting back,” Aaron told him, really not wanting to be there when Robert came back out. Ben gave him a meaningful look, which had Aaron shrugging. “What?”

“I really think you should stay for breakfast,” Ben told him cryptically.

He sighed, but sat down on an armchair near the sofa. Aaron leaned forward on the cushion, elbows resting on his knees, hands gripped tight as the three of them sat in silence. It was clear they were all waiting for Robert to leave before speaking further or sitting down to breakfast. Thankfully, the older man didn’t care to linger. He emerged from the bedroom fully dressed and stormed out of the flat without bothering to say a word. The atmosphere noticeably warmed up after the front door slammed shut.

The three of them relocated to the kitchen after Robert left. Although the tension had dissipated quite a bit once it was just them in the flat, Aaron could easily sense lingering uneasiness. He recognized this brand of discomfort well. He saw it often enough when Chas and Paddy wanted to talk to him about something, but they were having a difficult time figuring out how to start the conversation. Aaron waited as long as he could for Ben or Jay to say something, but they just went about making brekkie until Aaron finally snapped. “If the two of you want to say something to me, now’s your chance.”

Ben was the one who sat down at the table with Aaron while Jay continued cooking. The large, hairy brunette slid a coffee mug across the surface toward him. Aaron accepted the hot drink and raised his eyebrows at Ben expectantly. Ben shrugged, his wide shoulders moving easily under his thin white t-shirt. “You can tell me it’s not my place to say anything, but that Robert of yours is a bit of an arse.”

Whatever Aaron had expected him to say, it wasn’t that. He found his tension easing, and he chuckled a bit before taking a sip of his black coffee. “Can’t argue with you there. He’s not ‘my’ Robert though.”

“I thought the two of you were mates.”

“No, he’s the brother of one of my mates. You remember Victoria? I think I introduced you once.”

“Yeah, I remember Vic,” Ben said, smiling. “Bit of a mouth on her!”

“Yeah, although never say that in front of her,” Aaron told him. “Anyway, Robert’s her older brother. He left the village ages ago, but he just moved back with his fiancee and her family.”

“So the two of you have been hanging out since he moved back?” Ben guessed.

“No. Like you said, he can be such an arse. Pretty much everyone in Emmerdale hates him. He had a row with his family last night, and… I don’t know,” Aaron said, shrugging. “I figured maybe I should try to be mates. You can see how well that turned out.”

“This morning went spectacularly wrong, but the two of you were tight as thieves last night,” Ben said.

The last thing Aaron wanted was to be reminded that he’d made a fool of himself by clinging to a straight man the other night. Not just any straight man, but one who was engaged to be married. It was beyond pathetic. Scowling, he took another sip of his coffee before he said, “Look, what exactly are you trying to get at? What’s with all these questions about Robert?”

Ben avoided Aaron’s gaze, looking down at the table as he scratched at his chin, his thick fingers working into his beard. The sound of his nails moving against the wiry hairs gave a soft scraping sound. “How many times?” Jay scolded his boyfriend from where he stood at the stove. “The sound of that drives me mad! Stop it.”

“Sorry, love,” Ben said. He left off scratching his chin and ran his hand down his beard, smoothing it into place. “I don’t know how you’re going to take this, but just hear me out, okay?”

“You’re doing my head in,” Aaron said, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. “Just tell me already.”

“When we saw you last night- I mean the way you were with Robert… Well, we thought you were dating, to be honest.”

Aaron bit his lip, giving a nod. When Ben didn’t immediately continue, Aaron shrugged and gave him an expectant look. “So what? Now you know different.”

“You were all over each other, mate.”

“Yeah, because I’d had too much to drink,” Aaron explained, feeling defensive. “If you’re trying to warn me off him, don’t bother. I’m not an idiot, am I? I know he’s straight. I don’t have a chance, and I’m not going to try anything with him.”

“Aaron-”

“What do you want me to say? I know I made a fool of myself hanging onto him like I did, but it’s never going to happen again. I doubt we’ll have two words to say to each other after this morning, so I don’t see how this even matters.”

Ben was giving him an odd look, and Jay had turned to stare at him so the bacon he was frying started smoking. Rolling his eyes at the way both men were acting, Aaron nodded at Jay. “You’re going to start a fire if you don’t mind that.”

“Right,” Jay said, hurriedly turning back toward the pan.

“How much do you actually remember from last night?” Ben asked him.

“I don’t know,” Aaron said, somewhat nervously. He was really starting to dislike the way Ben was staring at him. “I remember most of it, I guess. Not so much after we left that one pub and walked to Bar West.”

“And how about Robert?” Ben questioned. “Does he remember anything?”

“It didn’t seem like it,” Aaron answered, remembering how the blond had freaked out when he thought he’d had sex with Aaron the night before.

Ben whistled through his teeth, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t want to be him when he gets home to his bird. She’s not going to be happy with him.”

“What’s she got to do with anything?” Aaron demanded, confused. When Ben hesitated, Aaron finally decided he’d had enough. “Just tell me! What am I missing? What happened last night?”

“You called yourself an idiot for hanging onto Robert last night, but you weren’t the only one,” Jay said, walking over. He’d turned off the flames so he could join the conversation. Glad someone was finally talking, Aaron looked up at the darker man as he stood over him and Ben. “Robert was all over you. The two of you couldn’t keep your hands off each other. We walked over to Bar West and he got this call from his bird. Chrissie, right?”

“Yeah,” Aaron said, somewhat distractedly. He was finding it next to impossible to imagine Robert being all over him. As hard as he tried, all he could remember was how he’d clung to the blond, letting the alcohol push him to behave foolishly. It was Aaron who had started getting handsy, holding onto Robert when the shots had made him dizzy. He could even remember wrapping his arm around Robert’s waist and pressing his face into the other man’s chest as they had stumbled their way to Bar West. At no point could he remember Robert doing anything more than just being helpful by letting Aaron lean on him.

“Well, this Chrissie called him while we were sitting at Bar West, and he started getting all out of sorts because she was accusing him of cheating. I guess he forgot to tell her he was going out with you, so when he didn’t come home, she thought he’d met another woman.”

“He has a bit of a history with women,” Aaron explained to them. “From what I hear, he cheated on everyone he was with. I don’t know much about it, but that was probably one of the reasons he left Emmerdale.”

“That explains why she didn’t believe him,” Jay realized. “Anyway, he handed his phone to you so you could tell her that he was out with you and not another woman. Then you decided to send her a picture of the two of you so she’d believe Robert.”

Ben nodded and picked up the story from there now that Jay had gotten it started. “I took Robert’s phone and snapped a few photos. The two of you were still a bit… close.”

“Close?” Aaron asked him, frowning.

“You were practically sitting on each other, you were that close,” Ben told him. “So then I- well, I’d been drinking too, and I may have had a bit too much fun with it. I pretty much egged you on until Robert leaned in to kiss you.”

“He kissed me!” Aaron exclaimed, shocked. After the shock came disbelief. “No, you’ve got it wrong, mate. He wouldn’t do that. He’s straight!”

“I’m not so sure,” Ben said skeptically. “Straight or not, he gave you a kiss. Just on the cheek, mind you.”

“I’m not proud of myself, but I took the phone from Ben and sent Chrissie that photo,” Jay said softly. He gave Aaron a look, like he was begging him to understand. “The way Robert was leading you on, and then trying to make like he had nothing to hide just because you’re a bloke… Before I met Ben, I was with a man who hadn’t come out yet. We were together for two years, we even lived together, and he still refused to tell his family and friends that we were more than just roommates. He even made up the spare room like it was his own, so any time we had anyone over, it wouldn’t look like we slept together. I guess Robert reminded me a bit of him, and I thought this Chrissie woman ought to know who she’s getting married to.”

Aaron didn’t know how he should be taking any of this. He was equal parts angry, amazed, and disbelieving. He was about to tell them off for playing such an elaborate and very unfunny joke on him when he suddenly recalled his vision being covered in spots because of a camera flash, and Robert’s face pushing in close to his, a wicked look in his eyes. An urgent need to know more filled Aaron. He’d been staring down at his coffee as he struggled to remember, but now Aaron raised his eyes and looked at the two men. “What happened after that? Did Chrissie say something?”

“She called back,” Ben confirmed. “It was Robert who had her on the phone, not me, so I can’t really say, but I gather she wasn’t pleased about the photo and didn’t want him kissing anyone. He told her it didn’t count, because you were a bloke, and he’d only done it as a joke. You took exception to that and grabbed the phone. You told her Robert didn’t stand a chance with you, and she could stop her worrying.”

“And then?” Aaron asked, feeling his heart in his throat. God, he might not remember any of it, but he could see himself doing all of that. He knew himself, knew how his feelings must have been hurt to have Robert call the kiss a joke. Telling Chrissie he’d never be interested in Robert was just a defense, just a way of trying to prove he didn’t care. It was exactly the same as how he’d lied to Robert’s face and told him he didn’t fancy him.

Ben and Jay shared a look before the darker man spoke up. “Robert was offended. He wanted to know what you meant by that. Only he forgot to hang up on Chrissie while he was asking you. It was clear from how you were both talking that you fancied each other, and I guess Chrissie heard enough. She hung up and called again. I don’t know what she said, but Robert told her off for eavesdropping and then hung up on her.”

“He what?” Aaron asked, having a hard time picturing that. He couldn’t believe that the Robert who had hired Aaron and Ross to burgle Home Farm in an elaborate plan designed to win Lawrence’s approval so that he could finally marry Chrissie, was the same Robert who would then tell Chrissie to stop being nosy and then hang up on her.

Jay nodded to let Aaron know he was serious. “He ended the call, and then he leaned right over to kiss you.”

“You’re wrong!”

“He did,” Ben confirmed. Aaron felt almost dizzy, trying to absorb everything. How could he have forgotten it all? “That’s not even the craziest part. You pulled away and stopped letting him kiss you. He was getting all upset over it and asked you why you wouldn’t snog him back. You told him you could never be with him while he was still engaged to Chrissie. So then he just kind of stared at you for a few seconds before grabbing his phone. I think he meant to call her and break up with her, but I figured neither of you were in the right frame of mind to be making good choices. Jay and I had to drag the two of you here.”

“And then you just put us in the same room and trusted that nothing would happen?” Aaron asked in disbelief.

“Course not!” Jay exclaimed. “Ben helped you into bed, and I set Robert up on the sofa. We got ready for sleep, and when we went to check on you two, Robert had sneaked in to be with you. I don’t know which one of you passed out first, but the both of you were out when we came in. We couldn’t wake either of you up, so we just tucked Robert under the covers and left it.”

Silence fell then as Aaron thought about all of what they told him. Jay went back to cooking, and Ben was quietly watching him while Aaron tried to force his brain to spit out some memories that he could latch onto. He finally gave up on trying to remember any of it and got to his feet. “Thanks for looking out for me,” he said, realizing the two men had stopped him and Robert from making a terrible mistake.

“I thought you were staying for breakfast?” Ben said as Aaron headed out of the kitchen.

“Thanks, but I just need to get my head sorted. I’ll see you around, yeah?” He didn’t bother to wait for Ben to answer. He found his jacket thrown over the back of the sofa and grabbed it as he hurried to the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this longer chapter!
> 
> I understand most Emmerdale fans are from the UK and don't observe Thanksgiving, since it's a North American holiday. I am posting this on Thanksgiving Day in the US, and since I'm American, I'm getting into true holiday spirit. I want to give thanks to all of you. Thank you all for reading, for commenting, and for giving me kudos. It means more than you know that you have read my fics and liked them enough to post amazingly supportive comments. 
> 
> Alright, I'm done being sappy. Thanks again, and stay tuned for more =D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me! Here's a bit more drama for you =) Not a whole lot of Robron in this chapter, but I think the last bit makes up for that.

**5 December 2014  
Friday**

 

He was quiet when he came home. It was hours after midnight, and the Woolpack had long since closed for the night. Soon the early risers in the village would be getting up, but for now everyone was asleep. All Aaron wanted was to find his own bed and lay his head down. He was exhausted.

As much as he just wanted to run upstairs and throw himself down on his mattress, he had to keep it down. The stairs leading to the upper level were loud, and the last thing he needed was to accidentally wake someone up, especially if that someone was his mum. Aaron made sure not to let his keys jangle together as he unlocked the door to the side entrance. He stepped in and gently pushed the door shut, then slowly turned the bolt until he heard the lock softly click into place. He had long ago learned to keep the door hinges well greased to avoid unnecessary noise for moments like these, when he found himself sneaking in or out. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much he could do about the creaking stairs. He was pretty sure he still remembered where to step to ensure the quietest path up, despite having been away for two years in France.

Chas didn’t give him a chance to test his memory out. Aaron nearly jumped out of his skin when her voice broke the tired silence of the darkened pub. “So you decided to come home after all? You’ve been gone so long I thought you’d be back in France by now.”

Chas appeared at the doorway leading into the living room. She was in her red satin jammies, her long curly brown hair pulled back from her face. There were bags under her eyes, and he wondered if she had been sitting awake on the sofa all night, waiting for him to come home.  
Chas crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder against the door frame, glaring at him with dark, moody eyes. It was clear she was upset with him, like he knew she’d be. This was exactly what he’d wanted to avoid.

“What are you still doing up?” he muttered, frustrated. He was too tired to have it out with her.

“That’s seriously all you’ve got to say for yourself?” she asked, shaking her head incredulously.

“What do you want me to say? I’ve been out, alright?” he told her, getting defensive.

“For two days?” she demanded, voice becoming shrill.

“You’re going to wake Diane. Can’t we just talk about this later?”

“No, we’re going to talk about it right now. You’ve been gone for two days, Aaron. Diane says you had tea with her and Victoria on Wednesday, and then you just left. It’s Friday morning, and you didn’t bother to call or text even once. For all I knew, something could have happened to you!”

“Yeah, well it didn’t.”

Chas shook her head again, looking up at the ceiling as she struggled with her temper. Aaron felt bad. He knew he was being unreasonable, but it was always like this between them. He loved her, but she’d start in on him and he’d get his back up. Biting his lip, he tried to keep his anger in check so he wouldn’t say something he’d regret. “I’m sorry I didn’t call,” he told her, rubbing at his eyes with his hand. “I think I lost my phone.”

The tension between them lasted for a few more seconds before Chas also tried to set aside her frustration. “Well, it might interest you to know that it’s with a very nice bloke named Ben.” Aaron nodded, a bit relieved that he wouldn’t have to replace his mobile yet. He was always hard on phones, forever cracking the screen or losing them somewhere. Aaron was trying to think of when he might have time to pop over to collect it when Chas apparently lost a silent battle with her curiosity. “Is he one of your conquests, then?” she asked. Seeing his confusion, she added, “This Ben who answered your phone when I called. You can’t have been too impressed by him. I spoke to him in the morning when I realized you hadn’t come home. Clearly you haven’t spent all this time with him, or you’d have realized he had your phone.”

“He’s just an old mate,” Aaron explained. “I spent Wednesday night at his. He has a boyfriend, so don’t even start.”

“Right,” she said. “And who was it that leant you that shirt you’ve got on? Was it Ben or some other bloke, because I know it’s not yours. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in flannel, and definitely not in green plaid.”

“Does it matter?” he snapped, irritated. He saw Chas open her mouth to say something else, but he interrupted. “Mum! Just… not right now. I’ve got to be at the garage in a couple hours, and I’m dead on my feet. I just want to sleep, alright?”

Aaron didn’t wait for a response. He ran up the stairs, not bothering to keep the noise down. He wanted to get away from her before she really started to interrogate him. As exhausted as he was, he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide much from her if she started asking questions. And at the moment, he really didn’t want her ferreting out that he’d left the pub on Wednesday with Robert, because once she knew that, she’d dig until she knew the rest. Chas could be like a hound tracking a scent sometimes - dogged and relentless.

He could probably do with a wash, but the lure of his bed was too strong to resist. Aaron closed himself in his bedroom and collapsed onto his mattress. Thankfully, he passed out immediately, much too tired to spend even one more second thinking about Robert flaming Sugden.

 

*****

 

**4 December 2014  
Thursday**

 

After leaving Ben’s to try and get his head sorted, he’d walked around for a bit before realizing he didn’t have his phone. He wasn’t sure what time it was, but he could tell by the sun overhead and the number of pubs that were opening up that it was afternoon. He and Robert had clearly slept the morning away, and it was no wonder if they had both drunk enough to blackout. The last time Aaron had gotten that bladdered was after he and Ed had broken up.

Aaron hadn’t made a conscious decision to walk back to Bar West. He realized where he was heading about ten minutes into the walk. He had another thirty minutes to try and talk himself out of it, since it was a ways from Ben’s flat. It was better to just grab a taxi back to Emmerdale. He was hungover, thirsty, and he smelled like he’d bathed in bourbon. Even so, he found himself entering the familiar pub and looking around, eager to see if anything jogged his memory.

It was infuriating to have a chunk of memories missing from the night before. No matter how hard he pushed himself to remember, all that came to him were disjointed images and vague impressions. There was no way for him to know if any of it was real, or if it was just his brain making things up, tossing him a bone to distract him so he wouldn't worry about the things he couldn’t remember. The biggest thing on his mind was the kiss. He’d managed to snog Sugden, and he couldn’t even remember it.

“You again!”

Aaron was jarred from his thoughts by a man in a Bar West t-shirt walking toward him. He looked to be just a couple years younger than Aaron, maybe twenty or so. The lad had fluffy black curls, and dark eyes that were framed by long lashes. It was impossible not to notice how attractive he was; very conventional with features that were straight and well proportioned, and smooth skin that was unmarked by scars or blemishes.

He almost looked like a baby, all hairless and wide-eyed, but Aaron expected the lad was fully aware of that because he’d made an effort to appear older and tougher. He was pierced, gold glinting from a tiny stud in his nose and small hoops in his ears. He clearly worked out quite a bit, and while he’d never have muscles like Andy Sugden’s, every inch of him looked perfectly chiseled. The black t-shirt he wore with the Bar West logo on it was tight, showing off strong shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore a long-sleeved flannel shirt over it, which had a name tag pinned to the left breast. Apparently the kid’s name was Frank, although the name really didn’t seem to fit him.

“Where’s your blond friend?” the lad asked, coming to stand in front of Aaron. He had a cheerful grin on his face, but it was a bit overdone, leaving Aaron with the impression that it was just for show, this kid’s way of interacting with a customer. “I rather liked him! He left me an amazing tip.”

“You’re barking up the wrong tree with that one, mate,” Aaron told him, recalling how outraged Robert had been when he woke up next to Aaron.

“You’re not still jealous, are you?” he teased, being deliberately provocative, flashing a flirtatious smile.

“What do you mean?” Aaron asked, confused.

Frank laughed, cheeks turning a bit pink. “You caught me checking him out last night, I’m afraid. I didn’t mean anything by it, but the way you glared at me after that! If looks could kill!”

“Sorry about that,” Aaron told him, feeling awkward. He gave a shrug, and added, “I can’t remember glaring at you, if it helps. Actually, I can’t remember much of anything. That’s kind of why I’m here. You know, just trying to see if anything sparks a memory.”

“I’m not surprised you’re having a hard time remembering,” the lad said, reaching out to touch Aaron’s arm briefly. “I think you and your friend each had about four shots while you were here, and you’d clearly already started before you walked in. It’s a good thing you were here with your mates, or who knows what could have happened.” Frank shook his head, and for the first time Aaron saw something deeper in his expression instead of just professional cheeriness. “You’d be surprised at the sort of things that can happen at a busy place like this, once you’ve had a few.”

Aaron nodded, then said, “Well, it’s not anything too horrible, but apparently we kissed. Only he has a fiancée so now we’re on the outs.”

The boy whistled, clearly impressed at the hairy situation Aaron had found himself in. Either that or he was just pretending interest, hoping to drum up another good tip. “Well if you want my opinion, that marriage won’t last if he goes through with it. With the way he was kissing you?” Frank shook his head, then said, “Well, what do I know, eh? Just let me know if I can help with anything,” he offered. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Aaron winced. “No thanks.”

“Too soon? Right, maybe an orange juice? Or some food?”

“Juice sounds great, and I’ll take a menu,” Aaron said, looking around at the mostly empty tables. “Do you remember where I was sitting last night?”

“That booth over there,” the lad said, pointing in the right direction.

“Thanks, Frank.”

It was the boy’s turn to wince. “Call me Frankie,” he said. “Frank is my dad. It’s weird.”

“You don’t get on with him, then?” Aaron asked, sensing the younger man was more than just a little bothered.

Frankie shrugged, his cheerful demeanor completely gone. He raised a challenging brow, and his voice was tight when said, “No, we don’t get on. Do you always ask personal questions?”

“Well, that’s me put in my place,” Aaron laughed, finding himself actually respecting the lad. “Sorry for being nosy. I don’t get on with mine either. He’s no dad.”

“Didn’t mean to snap at you,” Frankie apologized. “Take a seat and I’ll get that juice and menu for you.”

Aaron walked over to the booth he’d sat at the night before and tried to dredge up some memories. He had to admit defeat by the time he finished off his burger and chips. It was a bit disappointing to not remember kissing Robert, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. He was clearly carrying a torch for him, although he hadn’t realized it until last night. Nothing was ever going to happen between them, so it was better that Aaron couldn’t remember kissing the man. It was bad enough that he knew what it felt like to wake up next to him, the hard press of Robert against his back teasing his thoughts. Even worse, he could readily bring up the image of the blond sprawled in bed, sleepy-eyed and loose-limbed, his cock standing proudly at attention.

Feeling himself heat up just thinking about it, Aaron squirmed in his seat and looked around. The pub was slowly starting to fill up the later it got. He decided that what he needed most was to put a certain blond haired man out of his thoughts entirely. And the best way to do that would be to meet someone new.

Maybe his infatuation with Robert had less to do with real desire and more to do with the fact that he hadn’t been with a man since Ed. There had been one offs, but nothing serious. Aaron had been so focused on being there for Adam that he had decided not to date. When he wasn’t earning his income at the garage, he was helping Moira on the farm, knowing as he did that she was short on help with her son in prison. And when he wasn’t at the farm, he was breaking down stolen cars to earn extra cash for when Adam was finally released. Then of course he’d gotten caught in the act by Robert, who had then blackmailed him into burgling Home Farm. It didn’t leave him much time to date or build a relationship.

So, what better place to start than Bar West? It’s where he’d met Jackson. Maybe he’d get lucky again.

 

*****

 

**5 December 2014  
Friday**

 

Aaron woke up and left for the garage on time, despite getting only a couple hours of sleep. He felt shaky and half off his rocker, but that was his own fault for deciding to stay at Bar West in a mad search for love. He’d pulled, but that wasn’t the way to start a relationship was it? He hadn’t slept with either Jackson or Ed on the first night. He’d gotten to know them before jumping into bed with them. Although skeptical that it would lead anywhere, he’d still made arrangements to meet the man again today.

He turned the corner and started walking up to the garage. Parked in front was a steel blue Austin-Healey. Aaron stopped in his tracks, scowling as he stared at it. He’d completely forgotten the owner was dropping it off today for service. Aaron had his eye on this particular car for Chrissie. Earlier in the week, she had come by and asked him to search for a classic car that she could purchase as an early wedding present for Robert. He could hardly call her about it now, could he? According to Ben and Jay, she hadn’t been pleased to get photo evidence of Robert kissing him. She might be reconsidering her decision to buy her fiance such an extravagant gift now.

The sight of the Austin-Healey had distracted him enough that he just stood there for a minute, staring at it with indecision. Should he call Chrissie to make the sale, or would contacting her now be like poking a hornet’s nest with a stick? “Oi! Are you listening?” Debbie demanded, startling him.

“What?”

“Cars don’t fix themselves, Aaron,” she told him, crossing her arms. “You can stare at that Austin-Healey all you like, but the Fiesta inside still needs service.”

“Sorry, just a bit tired is all,” he told her, stuffing his hands in his pockets and joining her inside the garage.

“Chas told me you’d been out,” Debs said as he grabbed his dark blue overalls and quickly slipped them on over his clothes. “Anything you want to talk about?”

“Not really,” he said, knowing that she’d probably just repeat everything back to Chas. “Like I said, I’m just a bit tired. No worries though, I’ll just crack on, yeah?” She didn’t say anything as he walked over to the little black Fiesta and started working, just looked on for a moment before continuing with her own work.

The morning was difficult to get through. He just wanted to lay down on the floor and take a nap, or better yet, curl up in the back seat of one of the cars waiting for service. The hours crawled by, so that it felt like a small victory when Debbie told him she was heading to the cafe for her lunch. “I’ll bring you a coffee. I’m not sure you’re awake yet.”

“Ta.” He watched her leave, and then got back to work. He had his head under the bonnet of a beat up Mini, which is why he didn’t see the danger he was in until someone grabbed the back of his overalls and pulled him up. He slammed his head on the bonnet, cursing as he swung around to face Chrissie. He was still a bit stunned from hitting his head, and wasn’t able to get himself together enough to grab her arm before she slapped him.

“Chrissie, no!” Robert yelled, running up behind her and pulling her away from Aaron.

“Fuck,” Aaron muttered, reaching up to the back of his head and clutching at it. He checked his hand for blood, but thankfully there wasn’t any.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did that hurt?” she asked him cruelly, not looking apologetic at all. She shrugged off Robert’s grasping hands, jerking away from him. “Don’t touch me!” she yelled, clearly not any happier with him than she was with Aaron.

“I’ve told you, I didn’t do anything with him,” Robert promised her.

“You kissed him. That’s not ‘nothing’ is it, Robert? And you spent the night with him!”

“But nothing happened! I was drunk out of my mind, and his mates put me up. I swear, nothing like that will ever happen again.”

Aaron watched as Chrissie laughed at that, tears forming in her eyes. “How can I ever trust you?” she demanded. “You know what, I’m glad you were drunk, because otherwise I’d never have known about this. I wouldn’t have known about him, and I definitely wouldn’t have known you were bisexual.”

“I’m straight!” Robert seethed, talking through gritted teeth.

“And that’s why you kiss men?” Chrissie demanded.

“Er, I take it this is a bad time?” Aaron looked over to the door and saw Frankie standing there, looking on with interest.

“We’re in the middle of something,” Robert said rudely.

Aaron finally snapped out of his shock at being attacked and yelled at by Chrissie, taking exception to the way Robert thought he could shoo away anyone who came by. What if Frankie had been a customer? “Hang on,” Aaron said before the younger man could go anywhere. “You’re alright. _They’re_ the ones in the middle of something. Maybe the two of you can take it elsewhere, yeah?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Chrissie said. “I want you to tell me everything that happened between the two of you.” Aaron spotted Robert shaking his head emphatically behind Chrissie’s back. Unfortunately for the other man, she saw Aaron’s attention shift away from her. Chrissie spun around quickly and managed to catch Robert. “Oh, so there was more to it than you told me? I wonder what you left out? Let’s ask Aaron, shall we?”

“Let’s not,” Aaron said, not wanting any part in this. Chrissie swung back to glare at him, but he just shook his head at her. “Look, nothing happened, alright? It was a kiss. You’ve got the photo, so you can see for yourself.” He knew he was making it sound like a kiss on the cheek was the extent of it, but he had no way of knowing how much or how little Robert had told her. If Aaron had to guess, he’d say that Robert had probably denied doing anything that wasn’t photographed and sent to her. “We were both drunk, and it shouldn’t have happened. Robert clearly still wants to be with you, and it’s not like I’m pining after him.”

“I hope not, otherwise this is really awkward for me,” Frankie joked, finally walking further into the garage so he could stand next to Aaron.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Robert demanded rudely, looking irritated.

“Frankie,” the younger man introduced himself. “I work at Bar West. I served you drinks.”

“What are you doing here?” Robert asked, confused.

Frankie glanced at Aaron, his cheeks reddening a bit. “We’re meant to be having lunch. And I’ve come to collect my shirt,” he explained. Aaron remembered then that he’d grabbed the green plaid long sleeved shirt the younger man had worn last night, tired of wearing a hoodie that smelled strongly of bourbon.

“Er, yeah, sorry about borrowing it,” Aaron told him, very conscious of the fact that both Robert and Chrissie were now aware that he’d spent the night with Frankie. “Didn’t think you’d mind, and I needed a fresh one.”

“So are you his boyfriend?” Chrissie asked the lad. “Did he tell you he kissed my fiance?”

“Like Aaron said, it was just a meaningless kiss,” Frankie told her, although from what he’d told Aaron the day before, Robert had gotten quite handsy before Ben and Jay had pulled them apart. “And like _I_ said, I was serving them that night. Aaron’s not my boyfriend, but I didn’t see anything to bother me or stop me from taking this one home,” he said, giving a nod to Aaron, and throwing in a flirtatious wink for good measure.

He felt like his cheeks were on fire, and it didn’t help that Robert was giving him this look. Like he was disappointed or something. Before Aaron had a chance to try and figure him out, the look shifted into a sneer. “See Chrissie? Nothing happened, and I’m clearly not Aaron’s type if he likes lads barely out of boyhood.”

He paled so quickly that it left him feeling ill. Robert could have said any number of things to him or about him that wouldn’t have hit him so hard. Frankie was not a child. And implying that Aaron would… That anyone would accuse him of wanting boys… He felt something crack inside of him. Before he knew it, he had his fingers fisted in Robert’s jacket, and he was shoving the blond back against one of the nearby cars.

“What are you doing?!” Chrissie cried out as he held her fiance there.

“Aaron!” he heard Debbie shout from the door, and shortly after he could feel her hands wrapping around his wrists, trying to get him to release Robert. “Let him go, now!”

Robert smirked at him, seeming unbothered at having Aaron’s hands on him. When he spoke, he sounded a little out of breath from being slammed against a car. “What, have I struck a nerve, Aaron? Are you going to beat me up now?”

“Aaron, just stop.” The voice came from behind him, and he recognized it as Frankie’s. The lad sounded incredibly calm, the cheerfulness that he usually presented to the world set aside for the moment. “Nothing he says can bother me. How about you and me go get our lunch, eh? Just the two of us. How does that sound?”

God, he wanted to smack Robert so hard. But Frankie was the voice of reason, pulling Aaron back from his sudden rage. It took all his effort to let go of Robert and step away, but he did it. Not trusting himself at the moment, he walked out without a word, leaving Debs to deal with Chrissie and Robert. He didn’t know where he was headed, but he just needed to get away before the other man could provoke him again. Robert seemed to be able to manage that without even trying, somehow instinctively knowing what to say to get the biggest reaction out of him.

He was walking for several minutes before he gradually became aware of footsteps following him. Aaron came to a standstill, turning around to find Frankie had trailed him from the garage. Taking a deep breath, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his work overalls and nodded to the younger man, letting him know it was fine to come closer. “I’d have thought you’d be on the bus back to Hotten by now,” Aaron told him.

Frankie shrugged as he closed the distance between them. “I’ve seen worse. It doesn’t mean I liked it, or want to be around that.”

Aaron nodded. Jackson hadn’t cared for his temper either. He often scolded him for the way he’d fly off the handle, and threatened to leave him more than once because of it. “So I take it you’re no longer interested in getting lunch with me?” Aaron checked.

Frankie gave him a considering look. Aaron was coming to realize that there was a big difference between the frivolous persona Frankie put on around everyone and the real him. “I had enough of that kind of behavior when I was growing up. My dad was an alcoholic, and he took it out on me and my mum. I like you, but you’ve got a temper, and I don’t think I can handle that for very long. Maybe for a little while, if you’re up for some fun, but last night I got the feeling that you wanted something more serious.”

“So that’s a no to lunch,” Aaron said, feeling both relieved and saddened. He really hadn’t thought Frankie was a good fit for him, but whenever the younger man dropped the cheerful act, he actually seemed interesting.

“I didn’t say that,” he teased, a flirtatious smile once again making his full lips quirk and his brown eyes gleam. “I like a bit of rough. Just maybe not for long term.”

Aaron snorted, amused in spite of himself. “You sure about lunch? Hate to see a posh lad like yourself slumming it.”

Frankie gave a shrug and moved in closer, his hands reaching out to tug at the front of Aaron’s navy blue overalls. He kept his hands firmly in his pockets, playing it cool as the younger man leaned into him. “I’ll risk it. Just try not to attack anyone else while we’re out, yeah? If you’re good, I’ll give you a reward.”

The kiss was slow and sweet, with Frankie pressing in close, leaning his weight against Aaron’s chest. He wanted to reach out and pull the younger man tight against him, but it was also curiously appealing to stand there with his hands in his pockets as he let Frankie do all the work. He stood there as Frankie melted against him, hands moving up to cradle Aaron’s face, holding him in place so he could lay gentle kisses on his lips. When Frankie finally pulled back, Aaron was feeling hot and out of breath.

“We could always just skip the meal,” Aaron offered, only half joking.

“Nah, I don’t want you thinking I’m a cheap date. I’ve got standards!”

“Alright, come on then. Let’s get something in you.”

Aaron didn’t hear the innuendo in his statement until the words had already left his mouth. Frankie gave him a coy sideways glance as they fell into step next to each other, walking toward the cafe. “I like a man who knows what he wants.”

Feeling bold and more than a little aroused, he reached out and patted the younger man’s bum jokingly. “I know exactly what I want.”

They were both in high spirits as they made their way to the cafe. It was easy and friendly between them. Aaron found that a bit surprising, actually. Maybe they were so relaxed with each other because both of them really did know exactly what they wanted… and what they didn’t want. Frankie liked him, but wasn’t comfortable with his temper. He wanted to keep things casual. Aaron wanted something serious, but not with Frankie. Because as good as that kiss had been, and as wonderful as the sex had been the night before, Aaron had come to realize something very important and very disturbing. He’d felt more just now when he had Robert shoved up against a car than he had when Frankie had kissed him. It had sparked something deeper inside of him when he had drunkenly leaned on Robert, with the blond’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, than when he had Frankie in bed under him, the brunet’s shapely legs wrapped around him as Aaron thrust inside of him. He felt more fired up after arguing with Robert than he did after snogging Frankie. How messed up was that?

The torch he was carrying for Robert was still burning bright, and Aaron had to find some way of putting out the fire before the older man could use it against him somehow.


	5. Chapter 5

**5 December 2014  
Friday**

 

Aaron had only just gotten to the cafe with Frankie when he saw Debbie wave to him as she walked up the road. She was moving toward him purposefully, clearly wanting a word. Turning to the younger man beside him, Aaron said, “Why don’t you go on in. I’ve got to talk to her.”

“You’re not trying to weasel your way out of paying for my lunch, are you?” Frankie teased, raising his eyebrows at Aaron. “Because I’m telling you now, I won’t put out if you’re too cheap to buy me a coffee and a sandwich.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Go on then, I’ll be right there. Order the most expensive thing on the menu. You’re worth it.” Frankie grinned at him, both of them aware that there was nothing on the menu at Bob’s cafe was going to set Aaron back.

As soon as the younger man disappeared inside, Aaron walked over so he could meet his cousin halfway. “Debs?”

“Take your time coming back,” she told him, sounding aggravated. Her face was pulled into a scowl, and she was smoothing her hair down as if it required neatening. She had her long locks pulled back in some complicated braid, neat as a pin, so her bothering to straighten it made her look frazzled.

“Everything alright at the garage?” he asked cautiously, trying to guess her mood.

“I’ve finally got rid of them, if that’s what you’re asking,” she snapped, squinting up at him with the sun in her eyes. Aaron adjusted his position so he could block it, casting his shadow over her face. It earned him a grateful nod, but she still looked irritated. “I told them to shove off, but they were still arguing when they left. Is there something going on between you and Robert Sugden?” she demanded, sounding almost shocked that she was even having to ask that question.

“Course not,” Aaron said, feeling his cheeks heat up. He rushed to speak, worried she’d be able to tell something was up. “There was a misunderstanding, alright?”

“A misunderstanding involving a kiss?” she asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

“Look, you’ve got to promise me not to say anything to my mum,” he started.

“Aaron-”

“I’m serious, Debs! All of this is just a bunch of smoke without fire, but if my mum catches wind of it, she’s going to start banging on about it. You know how she gets.”

“She just wants to protect you,” Debbie told him, defending Chas. “I’d do the same for my Sarah and Jack.”

“Yeah, well I don’t need protecting. Not about this. But if I haven’t got your word, then I’m not saying anything more.”

There was silence between them for a moment before she finally agreed to keep his secret. So he told her the simplest version of the story. On Wednesday, he’d found Robert out of sorts because he'd argued with his family, and Aaron asked him out for drinks as mates. They’d gone on a pub crawl, and Chrissie had started freaking out when Robert didn’t come home. After she accused him of cheating on her, he sent her a playful photo of him and Aaron, where he gave Aaron a peck on the cheek.

“So this ‘playful photo’ where he’s kissing you on the cheek is what set her off?” Debbie asked doubtfully. Aaron nodded. She crossed her arms, giving him a look chock-full of skepticism. “You’re sure nothing else happened? Because after you left the garage with that lad of yours, she was a mess. I mean crying and screaming and saying all sorts. She was even talking about kicking Robert out of the house. They might not even be engaged anymore, and it’s all down to you.” Aaron swallowed hard at that, feeling a funny flutter low in his belly. “So are you _sure_ nothing else happened?”

“Well…”

“Aaron, just spit it out already! Did you sleep with him?” He just stood there for a moment, feeling cornered by the question. She uncrossed her arms so she could set her hands on her hips while she glared at him. “You did, didn’t you? That’s hardly smoke without fire! What were you thinking?”

“It’s not what you think!” he protested. “We were completely bladdered, alright? A mate of mine let us kip at his. We literally slept in the same bed together, but nothing happened. I swear!”

Debbie, it seemed, needed more convincing. “And that’s why Chrissie’s threatening to chuck him out of her house, is it? Because nothing happened? You realize how that sounds?”

“Er, yeah…” he agreed, thinking about it. He had been so busy feeling guilty and confused - and to be honest, quite turned on by the unavailable man - that he’d wasted all his time and energy trying to deny anything happened. He hadn’t given any thought to why Chrissie was so bent out of shape. What exactly had Robert told her? He had to have mentioned something to her. Maybe that they’d shared a bed? Or that Robert had been naked when they slept together? She was too furious and jealous for this to be _just_ about that photo.

“Look, Debs,” he finally said, realizing that maybe he needed to talk to Robert in order to figure out what was going on. “I’m as in the dark about this as you are. Maybe she is upset about more than the kiss on the cheek, but that’s naught to do with me. So don’t tell my mum about what happened at the garage, alright?”

“Fine,” she said, unsatisfied. “But whatever’s going on between you and them, you need to sort it. I can’t have you kicking off like that in my garage again. So just… take an hour, have lunch with that lad that was round here looking for you, and come back ready to work.”

“Sure, course,” he agreed. Debbie walked off without saying anything further. It left him feeling unsettled and still very much confused. His cousin had raised a very good point. Why was Chrissie so angry about the kiss on the cheek? What had Robert told her?

Debs was also right about him needing to sort things. There was nothing he could do about it at the moment though, so he joined Frankie in the cafe. The younger man had ordered for both of them, and was waiting patiently for Aaron to pay up. He tried to ignore the amused looks Bob kept flashing him, not wanting to think about what Frankie may have said to the man. Bob was one of the biggest gossips in Emmerdale, second only to Brenda. Aaron just hoped that Frankie hadn’t told Bob anything too embarrassing. 

The hour spent with the younger man was nice. He enjoyed the way the lad would flirt mercilessly with him. It was all in good fun, and it was possibly more enjoyable since he knew Frankie wasn’t going to get attached or clingy. It almost felt like how it did when he sat with Adam, taking the piss out of each other. It didn’t feel like a date at all. Even so, he was pleased when Frankie told him to give him a call sometime, leaving it open for Aaron to contact him for a casual night of fun if he wanted to.

Aaron was in a good mood by the time he got back to the garage. He wasn’t even bothered when Debbie left early so he had to finish up on his own. The lack of sleep made him even less talkative than usual, and it was a relief to be alone for a while. He was soon wrapped up in the work, enjoying the way it felt to take a stubborn car and apply his skills to it until the car was working again. Aaron didn’t think he’d be a mechanic forever, but that was one of the things he’d always liked about the job. Cars were simple. If he knew what he was doing, he could take a problem and fix it. It was so much easier to deal with a car than any number of other things.

“We need to talk.”

Such as Robert.

Aaron was laid out on the mechanic’s creeper, working on the underside of a Vauxhall Astra when he heard Robert’s voice. He sighed, his good mood slipping away fast. Rolling out from under the car, he found that Robert had come to stand over him. Aaron tried to ignore how his unique vantage point meant he was looking up the other man’s body, getting an eyeful at how his tight trousers fit over his cock. As Aaron knew from having seen Robert bare, he was quite well endowed.

Setting down the wrench he’d been holding, he levered himself up off of the creeper and got to his feet. He pulled a towel out from the pocket of his overalls and started wiping the grease from his fingers. “Unless you’ve got a car that needs looking at, I think the less talking we do, the better. I don’t want your bird coming in here and slapping me again. Debbie’s made it clear she won’t stand for that in her garage.”

“Trust me, Chrissie’s not going to come by and see us. She’s at home,” Robert told him, a sour expression on his handsome face. “She wants nothing to do with me. Because of you.”

“Hang on, you're blaming _me_ for this?” Aaron demanded. “All I did was ask you out for drinks. Maybe the pub crawl wasn’t such a great idea, but as I seem to recall, it was you who suggested it.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect it to turn out like this!”

“And how exactly is that my fault?” he asked, pointing at himself for emphasis. “You said you wanted us to be mates, so I invited you for drinks. It’s not my fault Chrissie trusts you only about as far as she can throw you. If she hadn’t called to check on you, we’d never have taken that stupid photo in the first place!”

Robert glared at him, clearly furious. His color was heightened, and his eyes were hard as he leaned in threateningly. Aaron wasn’t in the least bit intimidated. Robert might be taller than him and outweigh him, but he was pretty sure that if push came to shove, he’d be able to hold his own against the older man. He was betting he’d gotten into more fist fights than Robert had. And anyway, it was difficult to be intimidated when the sudden nearness of the man was setting off a very different reaction in his body. Bizarrely enough, having Robert angry and on the brink of violence was a turn on.

“You seriously think this is about that stupid photo?” the blond demanded, getting in Aaron’s space.

"Er, yeah? What else?”

“So you’re going to try and play dumb?” Robert asked him, looking Aaron up and down as if measuring him up and finding him lacking. “Shouldn’t be too difficult for you. Not much play acting involved, eh?”

Being insulted was like a bucket of ice water for the stupid part of him that had been enjoying the confrontation. Aaron scowled, unhappy at being called stupid, and aggravated because he really wasn’t trying to play dumb. If this wasn’t about the photo, then he was at a loss. “You know what, Robert? Either tell me what this is about or do one. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve got work to do.”

“You’re not even bothered are you? That you’ve ruined things for me and Chrissie?”

“Look, mate, I’ve done nothing wrong. If you’ve lost her, that’s down to you and no one else.”

“I’m not your mate!” Robert snarled.

“You’re the one who came here with a cup of coffee, asking to be mates in the first place,” Aaron told him harshly, angry. “I’d never have invited you for drinks otherwise. You’re nothing to me, and I’ll count myself lucky if this is the last I see of you!”

Pushing past Robert, he got a few steps away before he felt the other man grab him from behind. He shoved Aaron up against the Astra, like Aaron had pinned him earlier that afternoon. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say Robert was almost as surprised by what he’d just done as Aaron was. “What do you think you’re doing?” Aaron demanded, shoving the other man away from him.

Robert didn’t answer. He was giving Aaron an intent look, as if something had just occurred to him. He stepped in closer, until their bodies were scant inches apart. Aaron stood there, frozen in place, not sure what was happening. “Back off,” he warned the other man.

Instead of doing what he was told, Robert reached up to grip Aaron’s face between his hands, holding him in place while the blond just stared at him. Aaron reached up and grabbed Robert’s wrists, ready to pull him off if he needed to. They were so close they were sharing airspace, breathing hard as if they had been running. He didn’t know where to look, so he stared defiantly into Robert’s blue-green eyes, waiting for the older man to say something.

“I remember this,” Robert murmured, looking almost dazed as he stood there with his hands cradling Aaron’s face.

It was such a small thing, such a simple statement, but it sent a shock of desire through him. Aaron held perfectly still, his heart thundering in his chest as Robert closed the distance between them. They’d kissed before, he knew it. Even if Ben and Jay hadn’t told him that he and Robert had kissed right before the two sober men had dragged them out of Bar West, Aaron would have guessed. The first touch of Robert’s lips to his was hesitant, and brief. It was over almost before it started, leaving them standing so close their noses were touching. He couldn’t help but lick his lips, searching for a taste of the older man. It was faint, barely there - but it was familiar. It gave Aaron a brief flashback to loud music, the scent of bourbon... and Robert melting into him, mouth warm against his own.

The memory wasn’t whole. It was a small piece, a fragment of that forgotten night that teased him and left him wanting more. As if reading his mind, Robert darted in, mashing their lips together. The blond ground their bodies close, trapping Aaron between his warmth and the Astra behind him. It was a little painful, but Aaron didn’t care. He held on tight to Robert’s wrists as they kissed, and he’d never been so hungry for the taste of another man before. He moaned when Robert parted his lips, letting Aaron’s tongue tangle with his own.

Finally letting go of his wrists, Aaron reached down to grasp Robert’s hips and pull him in more tightly. Robert thrust against him, sending Aaron’s thoughts into a tailspin. The only thing stopping them was the need to breathe. The blond pulled back, releasing his grip on Aaron’s face and placing his hands on the Astra to either side of Aaron’s shoulders. Robert sagged against him, as if his knees had gone weak.

They stood there, cheek to cheek, gasping for breath. Aaron could barely get his thoughts in order. It was hard to believe this was really happening. Robert - arrogant, presumably straight and unavailable Robert - was in the garage with him, pressed so tightly against his front that there was no missing the older man’s arousal. Robert shifted his face just a little, so he could whisper into Aaron’s ear. He shivered as warm breath tickled his lobe, eyes fluttering closed as he waited to hear whatever Robert wanted to say. The blond shifted one hand off the Astra, cupping Aaron’s cheek before sliding his hand down to rest against Aaron’s throat. His fingers tightened slightly, a domineering motion that Aaron couldn’t immediately decide was hot or irritating.

When Robert’s voice came, it was low and throaty. “Give me the video,” he murmured seductively.

Aaron froze. “What?”

The press of Robert’s hand to his throat tightened. “Give me the video you sent Chrissie. Now.”

He shoved Robert away, sending the blond staggering backwards. Aaron dragged his forearm across his kiss-dampened lips, wiping away the taste of the other man as rage flooded through him. “So what, you thought you’d come in here and try to seduce me over some video? Well, the joke’s on you, eh? I’ve no clue what you’re talking about!”

Robert shook his head, looking at the ceiling and giving a small laugh. “You’re still playing dumb? You told me yesterday morning that nothing happened between us! I went home thinking everything was fine, and then Chrissie’s on me, yelling at me about cheating on her. There I am denying anything happened, trusting you like an idiot! And then she shows me that stupid photo of me kissing you.”

“I didn’t remember about that, alright?” Aaron growled. “Ben and Jay were the ones who told me about it.”

“This isn’t about the photo!” Robert shouted at him.

That was it. He’d had enough. Aaron came at Robert, grabbing hold of his jacket with his fists so he could jerk him closer. It was Robert’s turn to latch onto Aaron’s wrists, staring at him as Aaron leaned in to threaten him. “I’ve had it with your shouting at me. You have something to say, then just say it. Otherwise, I want you out of this garage.”

“You took a video of us and sent it to Chrissie,” Robert said. “You did it to break us up because you wanted me for yourself. If you think that one drunken mistake means you have a chance with me, you’re wrong!”

Aaron let go of him so abruptly that Robert almost fell. He walked away, needing the distance. “Aaron! Don’t walk away from me! I won’t leave this alone until you show me that video. I want to know exactly what you sent her! Aaron!”

Stopping, he turned to face the other man. He was still handsome, still tall and blond and a little bit perfect. But instead of wanting to kiss him, Aaron wanted to smack him. How could someone be that aggravating? “Look, for the last time, I don’t know anything about a video.” Before Robert could argue, he spoke over him. “I’m not saying there isn’t one! I’m just telling you I don’t remember anything from that night. And even if there _is_ a video, I can tell you now I didn’t send it to Chrissie so I’d have a chance at you. I’m not that desperate, in case you hadn’t noticed,” he said, referring to Frankie coming by to visit him.

Robert frowned, displeased. “You expect me to believe you don’t want me? After what just happened?” he asked, pointing toward the Astra where they had kissed.

“And you expect me to believe I was a drunken mistake after that?” Aaron turned it around on him. “I think you’re the one who’s in denial!”

“There’s an easy way to settle this, you know. Show me your phone. Let’s see that video.”

Aaron rolled his eyes and reached into the pocket of his overalls, where he usually kept his phone. When he found it empty, he belatedly remembered he didn’t have it. “Er… I haven’t got it.”

Robert scoffed. “Yeah, I’m supposed to believe that?” He stalked over to Aaron and reached out for him.

“What are you- get off!” Aaron pushed at Robert as the blond searched his pockets. When he found them empty, he unzipped Aaron’s overalls and shoved it down to his hips so he could get at the pockets of Aaron’s jeans. Setting his hands on his hips, he glared as Robert backed away empty handed. “Finished, are you? If you’d have waited, I’d have told you I forgot my mobile at Ben’s flat. I was going to stop by for it tonight. If I find a video, I’ll send it to you.”

“How do I know you’ll send it?”

Scowling, Aaron said, “Because I’m not the one with anything to hide! What’s it matter to me if there’s a video or not?”

“I’m going with you,” Robert stated.

“Yeah, because us spending more time together is a good idea,” Aaron said, voice laced with sarcasm.

Eventually, though, he gave in and agreed to drive out to Hotten with Robert. It was easier than arguing with the other man, and it got him to leave sooner. Once the blond had walked out with the promise to return after the garage closed for the day, Aaron was once again alone. This time, though, his mood was soured and he kept making stupid mistakes while he worked. He couldn’t get the kiss off his mind, or how just the feel of Robert’s lips on his and the taste of him in his mouth had sparked memories of that night.

It was almost a relief when it came time to close up, even though he didn’t fancy being stuck in a car with Robert. The blond was already waiting for him, idling in his Audi as Aaron locked up. It felt almost like déjà vu to tuck his hands in his jacket pockets and walk over to the white sports car. He couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if Robert had turned him down for drinks that night. They probably both would have gone their separate ways. They would never have kissed. Aaron would never have experienced the tension they had between them.

Slipping into the car wordlessly, he strapped himself in and held on for dear life as the blond once again wended his way around corners and sped along the empty country roads. Neither of them spoke the entire way to Hotten, and Aaron entertained himself by wondering about the mystery video. What was on it? What new information would it give him about what had happened between them that night? It was hard to say which one of them was most eager once the car had been parked in front of Ben’s flat. Aaron was the first one to reach the front door, and he impatiently pressed the doorbell.

Ben opened the door, and he raised his bushy eyebrows when he saw Aaron and Robert standing there. “Come in,” he finally said, stepping aside for them. “Can’t say I was expecting the two of you to show up together. Oh, Aaron! I hope your mum passed along the message. I’ve got your phone, in case you were wondering.”

“That’s exactly what I’m here for, mate,” Aaron told him, walking inside. He was more than ready to watch that video, hoping it would answer some questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoy your comments, and I'm always open to suggestions - although I can't always promise to use them if I feel it doesn't fit in with my plans for the story. However, I got a really great suggestion in the comments from Chapter 4 that fit in so well with what I already had planned for this chapter that I went ahead and wrote it in. If you enjoyed the scene where Robert starts to remember kissing Aaron, and then shoves him up against the car because he can't help himself, you owe your thanks to Sarah! And Sarah, I hope my take on your idea didn't dissappoint =D


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting this! I worked like a fiend this year and had vacation time I needed to take by the end of the month. I decided to go on a road trip, although winter isn't the best time for it. Couldn't do much writing since I was driving every day, but I had tons of fun.
> 
> I wanted to post this before the end of the year. I didn't want to leave you all wondering about that video...
> 
> Hope you all have a happy New Year! Please enjoy this chapter, and leave your comments =) I always like hearing from you.

**5 December 2014  
Friday**

“Aaron!” Jay greeted him kindly when he walked in. The slim man had been seated on a chair in the living room, but when Aaron came in through the entryway, Jay stood up and walked over. Not one for big displays, Aaron tensed as Jay came closer, worried the smaller man would maybe try to hug him. Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his black jacket, he gave Jay a stilted nod, hoping the other man could read his cues. It seemed as though he did, or else it had never been his intention to hug Aaron in the first place. Jay stopped within easy distance, giving a welcoming grin.

That’s when Robert appeared from the entryway, coming to a stop behind Aaron. It could have been his imagination, but he could swear he felt the heat of the other man along his back, as if Robert was standing so close they were nearly touching. His heart kicked in his chest at the thought, their kiss from earlier that evening all too fresh in his mind. He shivered, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. His traitorous body was reacting to the mere presence of the man behind him, and it had him scowling unhappily. Clearly there was a disconnect between his body and his brain. He couldn’t even stand Robert, but that didn’t stop him from physically responding.

Jay’s welcoming grin faded as the blond followed Aaron inside the flat. “And Robert… the more the merrier,” he said unconvincingly.

Aaron gave an amused huff. Robert, predictably, didn’t bother with niceties. He moved past Aaron so that he could walk up to Jay. “I’m about as thrilled to be here as you are to have me. If you give us the phone, we’ll leave you to enjoy your evening.”

“What’s the rush?” Ben asked, coming up from behind and standing next to Aaron so that now all four of them were crowded around where the entryway opened up to the living room. “Can you stay for tea?”

Aaron hadn’t eaten since lunch with Frankie, so he nodded gratefully. “Ta.”

“No, we’re not staying,” Robert said.

What gave him the right to decide whether or not they were staying? Irritated, Aaron made his way to the living room. He was very aware that the older man was following hard on his heels. He sat down on the sofa and crossed his arms, glaring up at the blond as Robert stood over him and frowned. “Why are you sitting down? We’re heading right back out.”

“You’re the one who insisted we drive out here right after I closed up the garage. Maybe you’ve already had your tea, but I haven’t.” Aaron’s stomach gave a loud growl then, as if to prove how hungry he was.

Robert set his hands on his hips, looking exasperated… and a little amused? Ever since they had woken up in bed together, all Aaron had seen from the other man was anger and frustration. And a dash of hot lust, just to keep Aaron on his toes. Maybe all that anger and frustration was understandable, given the situation, but it was nice to see a gleam of humor on his face. It immediately brought to mind how Robert had been the night they’d gone out for drinks, before they’d overdone it on the bourbon.

“I’ll get you something on our way back to Emmerdale,” Robert promised him, smiling at him.

He thought about insisting they stay for tea, but decided it would be childish. However frustrating he found it to deal with Robert, he had to remember that the other man was probably broken up inside over the situation with Chrissie. Granted, he was giving mixed signals - one moment angry at Aaron, the next snogging his face off - but underneath the many confusing layers that made up Robert Sugden, he was likely gutted over this entire cock up. Chrissie was his fiancee after all. Aaron couldn’t even imagine how he’d react if their situations were reversed. What would he do if he was the one engaged, only to have one reckless night ruin everything… He was reasonably sure he wouldn’t go around kissing the man he was wrongly accused of having an affair with, but no one had ever described Robert as a reasonable or predictable man.

“As long as you’re buying,” Aaron agreed, getting back to his feet and turning toward Ben and Jay. Both men were still standing by the entryway, looking at Aaron and Robert curiously. “Sorry, mates. We’ve just come for my phone, but I’ll call you soon and we can catch up without this one around to make things uncomfortable,” Aaron said, nodding his head toward Robert. The blond smirked, not offended by the jab at all.

“Everything alright?” Ben asked, his gaze moving pointedly between the two of them.

“Have you got the phone or not?” Robert demanded, losing his patience. His tone was surprisingly sharp, especially coming after Aaron had made him smile.

Aaron turned on him, glaring. “Watch yourself. You’ve got no right coming into their home and mouthing off. We’ll have the phone soon, so do me a favor and be nice to my mates.”

Robert looked like he wanted to argue, but he packed it in. Aaron would probably have been less surprised if the older man had started shouting or had stormed out of the flat. Watching Robert Sugden trying to behave well was like watching a lion let a gazelle walk past without trying to maul it; it was almost unbelievable, and it left Aaron wondering how long the good behavior would last. Turning back toward Ben and Jay, he said, “We’ll just take the phone and get out of your hair, yeah?”

Ben went to fetch Aaron’s phone from where he’d stored it in one of the kitchen drawers. Robert was already headed for the door before Aaron even had the damned thing in his hand. “You sure you want to go with him?” Ben asked, holding Aaron’s mobile out to him.

“We’ll be alright.”

“That Robert fellow has a temper on him,” he warned.

Shrugging, Aaron said, “So do I. Really, I’ll be fine. I’ll send you a text later.” There wasn’t much else Ben could say, so the bearded man just nodded and gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder before walking him to the door.

Once he left the flat, he found Robert leaning against the parked Audi, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. When he saw Aaron heading toward him, the blond unlocked the doors and got in. The car was already started by the time Aaron opened his door, and he’d only just got in when Robert sped away from the curb. “Where’s the fire?” he muttered as he grabbed his seat belt and strapped himself in.

“Well, come on, let’s see the video,” Robert urged him.

“Yeah, I don’t think so. You’re driving like a maniac! The last thing you need is a distraction.”

“You’re joking, right?” Robert asked. “I’ve waited hours to see the video!”

“So either pull over or you’re going to have to wait,” he said. Robert glared at him, and Aaron watched the street nervously. “Keep your eyes on the road, will you? Rob- flipping heck, you nearly ran her over!” Aaron shouted, looking over his shoulder to see the pedestrian who’d been trying to cross the street. She was waving her arms angrily at them. “Stop the car!”

“Why? It’s not like I hit her. She’ll be fine.”

Aaron turned forward in his seat and reached for the controls on his door, easily finding the button for his window. He rolled it down part way, cool air whipping in. “Stop the car or I chuck the phone!”

That got him listening. Robert stopped the Audi in the middle of the street. Aaron took off his seat belt and got out. “Aaron, where are you going? Look, I’m sorry. I’ll park the car and we can watch the video together. Just get back in, alright?”

Slamming the door shut, Aaron leaned down to look at Robert through the open window. “I don’t think so, mate. I’ll get home on my own, thanks. You can come find me later.”

He walked away, ignoring Robert’s attempts to catch his attention. He wasn’t sure what the other man had been trying to prove by driving so recklessly, but he didn’t fancy ending up dead or worse. If anyone knew the kind of grief that could come from a car crash, it was Aaron. His Jackson had ended up paralyzed from the neck down after getting distracted by a phone call from Aaron, leading him to crash. The grief that had come from that moment would stay with him forever. No way was he taking his chances by getting back in the car with Robert.

He was still hungry, and didn’t fancy waiting until he got home to eat. Rather than call himself a taxi, Aaron entered the nearest pub. He put in an order and settled down at a booth to nurse a pint while he waited for his meal. He was hoping the drink would help him unwind. Robert had him all worked up into knots.

In the past few days, they had fought, tried to be mates, snogged each other, woken up in bed next to each other, fought some more, snogged some more, then fought again… He had no idea where he stood with Robert. It often seemed like they were enemies, but then the older man would smile at something Aaron did or said. And then there was the kiss they had shared in the garage. Both of them had been sober for that one. What was Robert playing at? Was he straight, gay, or just confused? No straight man would ever kiss him like that. There had been real passion there, real need. He’d felt that passion in the way Robert had attacked his lips, and he’d felt that need pressed against his thigh. There was no faking the other man’s arousal.

So what exactly did he want with Aaron? And why risk kissing him when Chrissie was already in high dudgeon over the mystery video that Aaron had supposedly sent her?

“Is this seat taken?”

Aaron looked up, then rolled his eyes when he found Robert standing beside his booth. Reaching up to rub his forehead tiredly, he asked, “Would you leave if I said it was?”

The blond slid onto the bench across from him and sat back, looking too sexy for his own good. His black leather jacket was unzipped over a thin grey jumper that seemed to cling to his chest, hugging his pecs in a way that Aaron couldn’t seem to ignore. “Come on, don’t be like that,” Robert told him, voice disarmingly soft. “I said I was sorry, didn’t I?”

“What were you even thinking?” Aaron demanded.

“I don’t know, I just wanted to see the video.”

“So why not pull over? Why did you drive off in the first place? We were already parked. I could have gotten in the car and we’d have seen it by now.”

“You mean you haven’t looked yet?” Robert asked, surprised. “Aren’t you even the least bit curious?”

“Yeah, but it’s not going to change anything for me, is it? It makes sense why you’re so hot to see it. I mean, obviously it’s made Chrissie hate you, so-”

“I think ‘hate’ is a bit harsh,” Robert protested.

“Fine, maybe she doesn’t hate you, but she’s not happy, is she? This video’s got her all riled up, which has you here in Hotten with me, chomping at the bit and nearly running people over because you’re in that much of a rush to see it. Whatever’s on that video, at least I haven’t got a marriage on the line.”

“But you weren’t even the tiniest bit tempted to take a peek?” Robert asked him, crossing his arms on the table and leaning forward. “I think I’m insulted.”

Dammit, he was blushing. Aaron could feel his cheeks heat as the blond gave him a provocative look, eyebrows cocked and gaze warm as it scanned over Aaron’s face, not missing a thing. “Look,” Aaron said, somewhat flustered, “if I show you the video now, will you leave me alone? I’ll catch the bus home, or take a taxi. Us spending more time together seems like a bad idea.”

“Why, worried you can’t resist me?” Robert teased.

Once again Aaron was having a difficult time keeping up. It was almost impossible to believe that the man flirting with him now was the same man who had shouted at him at the garage about the mystery video. Aaron rolled his eyes at the blond and said, “Er, I’m pretty sure I can control myself. Do you want to see the video or not?”

Robert sighed and gave a nod. “No point waiting, is there?” He got to his feet and came around to Aaron’s side of the booth. “Go on, scoot over.”

Aaron made room for Robert on his bench, trying really hard to ignore how it felt to have the taller man slide in next to him. Aaron dug his phone out of his pocket and held it out between them. Leather creaked as the other man leaned in closer, their shoulders brushing together. He powered on the screen, hoping to get this over with as quickly as possible so that the blond would move back over to his side of the booth.

“You said I sent it to her?” Aaron asked.

“That’s what Chrissie told me.”

Going into his texts, he saw he had about a dozen unread messages from his mum and Paddy. They had probably tried checking in on him when he didn’t come back on Thursday after spending Wednesday night out. He ignored those and tapped on the first text he spotted that was listed as an unknown number. It was immediately obvious it wasn’t the text to Chrissie.

“Isn’t that the boy who came sniffing round the garage for you earlier?” Robert asked.

“Just leave it,” Aaron told him.

He had forgotten that the night before, he’d asked Frankie to text him so he could save his number once he got his hands on his mobile again. The younger man had chosen to send him a picture of himself. Thankfully it wasn’t anything Robert shouldn’t be seeing. It was a photo of Frankie blowing Aaron a kiss, with a mischievous look in his eyes. Under the picture was a text that simply read, “Call me.”

Going back to his messages, he scrolled down and found another text listed under an unknown number. Aaron opened the message, then tapped on the video he found there. Robert appeared on the screen. It looked like he was filming himself, Aaron’s phone held up in front of him so that his face and shoulders were visible. He looked completely plastered. His blond hair was all over the place, and he wore a sloppy grin. Aaron couldn’t help but notice that his shoulders were bare. He wondered if Robert was already naked by the time he shot the video. After all, when they had woken up together the next morning, the older man had been completely nude.

“Chrissie!” Robert said, voice coming out a bit slurred. “I’m not taking your calls anymore. Phone’s off, isn’t it? I can’t believe you thought I was cheating! Well, you know what? If you get the worst of someone… No, if you _think_ the worst of them, that’s what you get. Or something like that. So here I am, proving you right. With this! Drum roll please!”

As a drunken Robert struggled with the camera for a moment, Aaron glanced at the completely sober Robert sitting next to him. He looked a bit surprised, like the video wasn’t turning out how he’d expected. The older man caught him looking and frowned at him. Aaron gave a shrug and looked back at the phone in his hands. They had a view of the white ceiling for a moment before the drunken man was finally able to switch the camera off of selfie mode. The ceiling was replaced with a view of the honey oak floors and Robert’s bare feet. The hem of his trousers was visible at his ankles, making it clear he was at least partially clothed.

The screen blurred for a second as Robert moved it to face the bed. Aaron was sprawled on the mattress of Ben’s guest room. His arms were crossed under his head to help prop his neck up so he could look down the length of his body toward Robert, where the older man was positioned near the foot of the bed. Aaron’s blue eyes were glazed over, and his cheeks lightly flushed from excessive drinking. The look he was giving the man holding the camera was embarrassing. The lust was clear to see as his eyes roamed up and down. Sober Aaron figured that drunken Aaron was most likely appreciating Robert’s bare chest.

“Say hello for the camera!” Robert said.

“Hiya, it’s Aaron.”

“She’ll be able to see you, remember?” Robert called out, voice loud.

Aaron watched himself laugh. His face, already flushed from drinking, reddened even more with laughter. “Right. Forgot for a moment, didn’t I? Anyroad, I’ve got summat to say.”

“Go on,” Robert told him.

“Chrissie, hope you’re sitting down! Are you sitting yet? I lied to you earlier. I said you had nowt to worry over, but I lied.” He laughed again, unfolding his arms from under his head so he could prop himself up on his elbows. “Truth is, I fancy the pants off your bloke. Soz!”

Aaron squirmed on the bench seat as he watched himself confess his infatuation with the other man. From the corner of his eye, he could see Robert looking at him. On the video, he heard Robert give a sexy moan as the Aaron on screen gave him a thorough eye banging. “So you want me naked, do you?” Robert asked him, flirting.

“What are you waiting for? Get your kit off.”

Rather than try and switch it to selfie mode, Robert turned the phone around. It only caught the top half of his face, from his nose up. “Like I said, you asked for this. I’ve done nothing but prove myself over, and over. So you want to believe I’m cheating? Fine, I’m cheating! I hope you _are_ sitting down, because this is going to last a while.”

The phone was put down on some piece of furniture. Robert had it pointing toward the bed. Aaron could hear the clinking of a belt being undone. It had to have been Robert off screen, because Aaron was visible on the bed. He sat up on the mattress, then collapsed back onto it with a groan. “I’m going to be sick,” he moaned.

“Rude!” Robert complained. “I’m here stripping for you, and it’s making you sick?”

It was clear that Aaron had either passed out or was on the verge of losing consciousness. He’d gone quiet and motionless on the mattress. Robert, on the other hand, had begun taunting Chrissie as he continued undressing off screen. “I’m going to enjoy every second of this. And you know why, Chrissie? Because I’ve been wanting this for weeks. Have you seen him in his overalls at the garage? But I didn’t do anything because I was marrying you. Well you know what? I’m going to get on that bed, and I’m going to sit down, right on his big-”

Aaron wasn’t sure if he was glad or disappointed when the screen suddenly went black, showing only a battery icon indicating his phone was powering off. He felt like his cheeks were on fire, because he was pretty sure he could fill in the blank on what Robert had been about to say. He was also very aware that Robert had admitted to fancying him. For weeks. And having a thing about Aaron wearing his mechanic’s overalls.

“Did your phone seriously just run out of battery?” Robert demanded, grabbing his mobile from him. Aaron watched the blond as he found the power button and tried pressing it repeatedly, as if that would somehow revive the phone. He finally gave up, dropping Aaron’s mobile on the table in defeat. The both of them sat there on their bench, trying to process what they’d just seen. Aaron was no longer surprised by the level of anger Chrissie had towards him. It was overkill from a woman getting a photo of her fiance kissing a gay man on the cheek. It was just the right amount of outrage from a woman who’d been sent the video they’d just watched. No wonder she had slapped him.

“Well,” Aaron finally said, breaking the silence. He looked over at Robert and added, “I bet you weren’t expecting that!”

"Shut up," Robert growled.

Aaron's meal finally arrived. The bar maid walked up to their booth and placed the plate down in front of him. Once she had walked away, Aaron nudged Robert with his elbow. "What?" the blond asked, clearly in a foul mood.

"Remember, you're buying," Aaron said. He hid a smile when the other man rolled his eyes.

He couldn't exactly blame Robert for being upset after watching that video, but Aaron's mood was unexpectedly improved by it. First off, after Robert had told him that it was Aaron who'd sent the video, he'd felt guilty that in his drunken state, he'd tried to sabotage the older man's relationship because he wanted Robert for himself. It was a relief to see that it was the blond who was responsible for not only taking the video, but then sending it to Chrissie. Secondly, he'd just found out that his feelings weren't one-sided. Robert had fancied him for weeks, and he'd never realized it. Aaron hadn't been sure he could make himself forget their kiss and bottle his feelings. Now he didn't have to do either. He had a chance at Robert. He couldn't find it in himself to care that he'd be walking over Chrissie to get at him. After all, Robert couldn't be all that in love with her if he could send her a video like that! Drunk or not, there were just some things a person wouldn't do if they truly loved the one they were with.

Aaron dug into his meal as Robert moved back to his side of the booth. "So..." Aaron started.

"Just don't," Robert interrupted him.

"So we're just supposed to pretend we didn't see the video?" Aaron asked him. "Fat chance of that!"

"I'm serious, Aaron, just drop it."

"We're going to have to talk about it at some point." Robert got back to his feet and grabbed his wallet from an inner pocket of his leather jacket. He pulled out some money and dropped it onto the table. "Robert, wait!" Aaron said. The blond just shook his head and walked out. Aaron sighed. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed it.

After finishing his burger, Aaron left the pub and brought out his phone to call a taxi before remembering it was out of battery. He started to walk to the bus stop, then changed his mind and began making his way back to Ben's flat. It was much closer than Emmerdale, and hopefully either Ben or Jay would have a charger he could use. He'd be able to call for a taxi then, but more importantly, he'd be able to finish watching the video. He couldn't help but think of what Robert had started to say to Chrissie before his mobile powered off. He wanted to hear Robert say those words. It wouldn't be real to him until he heard it for himself. Aaron now felt as eager to see the video as Robert had been earlier.

Quickening his steps, he walked back to Ben’s and rang the bell for the second time that night.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mild warning for the content of this chapter. Nothing too terrible, but it may be upsetting for some readers.

**6 December 2014  
Saturday**

“What’s up with you?” Victoria exclaimed when she spotted him walking towards her. She had just stepped out of the cottage she shared with Betty Eagleton, who was thankfully on a cruise in New Zealand or Australia. He couldn’t remember which. It was a good thing she was gone, because the last thing he needed was Betty hanging around, trying to listen in on this conversation. She was one of the biggest gossips in the village. Once she overheard something, then everyone knew about it.

Aaron headed up the walkway toward Victoria’s cottage, hands stuffed in the pockets of his black jacket. Vic crossed her arms, looking him over. “Well?” she demanded once he was within easy speaking distance. “What’s got you coming over here with a face like that? Is something going on with Chas?”

“What? No, nothing like that,” Aaron told her, shaking his head. “Look… it’s about Robert.”

“What about Robert?” she asked, her curiosity replaced with worry. “Has he done something? I know how he can be, but whatever he’s done-”

“No, Vic, I just need to know if you’ve seen him,” he interrupted her.

She uncrossed her arms and set her hands on her hips. “Alright, what’s going on? And don’t tell me nothing, because I won’t believe you. What do you want with my big brother? I didn’t even know the two of you were friends!”

Aaron sighed. He should have known she would make this difficult. He bit his lip, thinking back on the last few days. From the moment he’d left the Sugden family arguing about Robert over their dinner, so many things had happened. And he was pretty sure that Robert wouldn’t want any of it revealed to his little sister.

He took his right hand out of his pocket and rubbed his eyes, trying not to get irritated with Vic. “Aaron,” she said. “Why does your hand look like you just hit someone?”

Lowering his hand from his eyes, Aaron looked at it, examining the reddened knuckles. “It’s because I did,” he told her, deciding it was best to just tell the truth.

“Now you really have to tell me what you want with Robert. Because if you’re going to punch him too, then I’m not going to help you find him.”

“Vic, just tell me where Robert is,” he demanded.

“Not until you tell me what’s happened!”

Aaron’s hands fisted at his sides, rage filling him. “You don’t want to know.”

 

*****

 

**5 December 2014  
Friday**

“What time is it?” Aaron asked Ben and Jay, leaning forward in his chair to set his beer can on their coffee table. There was quite a collection of cans there to keep it company. The three of them had gone through a couple of packs while they talked. Aaron finally got his chance to do some catching up with Ben while he waited for his mobile to charge. But with his phone out of sight, plugged in at one of the outlets in the guest room, he’d managed to forget about it for the past hour or so. He wasn’t the type to constantly have his phone with him - one of the reasons he lost his so often. Consequently, if it was out of sight, it was usually out of mind as well.

“It’s getting late, I suppose,” Ben said, running his hand down his thick beard. “Thinking of heading out? You can always kip here again.”

Aaron thought about his mum then. She’d been set to bite his head off for staying away for two nights. He’d managed to avoid her all day because he’d been at the garage, and then he’d driven into Hotten with Robert. Chas would be all over him if he didn’t come home for a third night. And honestly, all he wanted was to climb into his own bed, even if it would be more convenient to take up Ben’s offer. The past couple of days had been tense, and he was really starting to feel his exhaustion. And no wonder! Wednesday night he’d gotten blackout drunk, and then the very next night he’d barely gotten any sleep at all after spending most of the night with Frankie. Not that he was complaining about that, but the lack of sleep had made today feel really, really long. All he wanted to do was go home and bury his head in his pillow.

“Nah, that’s alright,” he answered Ben. “Let me just grab my phone and I’ll call a taxi.”

“Are you sure?” Jay asked as Aaron got to his feet. “We’d be happy to have you. Especially without Robert tagging along!” he laughed.

Aaron had taken a couple of steps toward the guest room just off of the living room, but at the sound of Jay’s laugh he paused. Something about it just rubbed him the wrong way. He turned around to look at the slim man who was sitting on the sofa next to Ben, tucked under the larger man’s arm. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” Aaron asked him.

Jay’s grin faded when he saw he’d upset him. “Sorry, no offense meant.”

Aaron shook his head and looked away for a second, trying to calm himself. He was being stupid, wasn’t he? Why was he getting bothered over some little comment about Robert? Aaron had made plenty of jokes at the older man’s expense, and he’d made some of them in front of Jay. It was stupid to get offended when the man followed his example and decided to take his turn slagging Robert off. The blond wasn’t exactly easy to get along with, was he? And he certainly hadn’t gone out of his way to be nice to either Ben or Jay when they had come by to pick up Aaron’s mobile.

He knew it made no sense to get angry about Jay’s comment, but he couldn’t help but be annoyed. Maybe it was sleep deprivation. Exhaustion was making him irritable. Aaron bit his lip and nodded as he struggled with his temper. “Who’s taking offense?” he asked, trying to play it off. He didn’t want either Ben or Jay thinking he actually liked Robert.

“Sorry,” Jay said again. “It’s just that you look upset. And I only said it because Robert’s.... Look, I really didn’t mean anything by it, and I really am sorry.”

“And that makes it okay, does it? You can slag off people you don’t even know, so long as you don’t mean anything by it?”

“Aaron,” Ben warned him.

“I’m just saying, maybe your boyfriend should think about the things he says before he decides to mouth off.” Not trusting himself to say anything else, he turned back to the guest room and went inside for his phone. It was resting on a heavy wooden dresser, charger cord extending to the nearest outlet. As he unplugged it, it occurred to him that the dresser had to have been where Robert placed the phone when he set it down mid-recording, so he could undress himself. Aaron turned toward the bed, recognizing the angle from the video. It was a perfect shot of the bed. This is where Robert had stood while he filmed Aaron, and then he’d set down the phone with the intent of recording the two of them together. With the phone resting on the dresser, propped upright against the wall, Chrissie would have gotten an eyeful if he and Robert had actually gone through with it.

Aaron frowned, turning his phone in his hands as he stared at the neatly made bed. Obviously he was aware nothing had happened that night, but… he suddenly felt uneasy about the video. It hadn’t fully dawned on him before that he and Robert had nearly made a sex tape that night. It was only now as he stood there and looked at the bed that it really hit him. Maybe he hadn’t given it thought because he had always been so certain that nothing had happened between him and Robert. He’d woken up fully clothed the morning after, even down to still having his boots on his feet. Because he was sure they hadn’t had sex, the full implications of that video hadn’t hit him right away.

Now, standing in the guest room where it had nearly happened, he felt a chill go up his spine. He’d almost made a pornographic video. Not only that, but it wouldn’t have even been kept private. It had been sent to Chrissie! He didn’t know how he would have felt, if he’d have had to face her after she’d seen a video of him having sex with her fiance.

Aaron looked down at his phone and powered it on. He had come to Ben’s to charge his battery, eager to see the end of the video because he’d wanted to hear Robert admit how much he wanted him. Now, he was impatient to see the end so he could be sure nothing too personal had been recorded. It had seemed like Aaron had passed out before he could do or say something too embarrassing, but what about Robert? He’d been undressing himself. Chrissie could do a lot of damage if she had a recording of Robert naked. If she was angry enough, she could send it to all of his contacts.

He was a bit nervous about watching the rest of the video, and almost wished that Robert was there to see it with him. Biting his lip, he went into his messages, found the one sent to Chrissie, and tapped on the video. He skipped ahead until he found the part where Robert set the phone down on the dresser. As he toggled forward in the video, he saw that he and Robert had gotten through half of the recording before it had cut out.

Aaron pressed play, and Robert’s voice kicked in, right in the middle of taunting Chrissie. “...wanting this for weeks. Have you seen him in his overalls at the garage? But I didn’t do anything because I was marrying you. Well you know what? I’m going to get on that bed, and I’m going to sit down, right on his big cock! And believe me, I'm going to enjoy every inch of it!”

There was a loud sound, and the phone jiggled a bit as Robert swore in the background. If he had to take a guess, Aaron would say that the blond had stumbled while he tried to get his trousers off. He can’t have been very steady on his feet, not with how drunk he’d been. “I think I broke my toe,” Robert complained. “Oh, nice, you’re just going to lay there? Aaron? Are you kidding me?” Aaron watched as Robert stumbled into view. He was naked, but with his back to the camera, all that was visible was his arse. It was a very nice arse too. It drew Aaron’s attention as the blond man staggered to the bed, and climbed onto the foot of it. Robert crawled over to where Aaron laid on the mattress, and then he settled in next to him and pressed a hand on his chest to shake him.

The attempt to wake him seemed halfhearted. Robert didn’t shake him very hard, and then he left off in favor of snuggling in close. The older man reached up and grasped Aaron’s chin, moving his head so that they were facing each other. He watched, heart in his throat as Robert leaned in and laid a gentle kiss against Aaron’s lips. Then he let go of his chin, and the blond nuzzled in against Aaron’s neck. Robert wrapped himself around the younger man, arm going around his shoulders.

The sound of a door opening came from off screen. Robert didn’t look up to see who had entered the room. Had he passed out? The oak floors creaked as someone stepped into the room, and then they passed in front of the camera. They were too close to the phone. All Aaron could make out was a large form blotting out the view of the bed for a second as either Ben or Jay walked past. The soft sound of fabric came, followed by the clink of a belt. Aaron remembered then that he’d heard a belt clinking when Robert had started undressing. He guessed that the man was picking up Robert’s scattered clothing. He reappeared in the shot, setting the clothing down on top of the dresser.

Everything on screen blurred as the phone was picked up. Whoever it was had found it sitting there, still recording. The hairs on Aaron’s arms stood on end, and a cold feeling settled in the pit of his stomach when the man didn't immediately end the video. He walked over to the foot of the bed, giving a nice long shot of Robert snuggled in close to Aaron, both men passed out and unable to do anything to stop the man from recording them. And then… Aaron felt sick as whoever it was zoomed in on their faces. Robert’s was pressed in against Aaron’s neck, and Aaron’s face was turned toward him, lips buried against messy blond hair.

And that’s how it ended.

Aaron stood there, shaking. He’d broken out into a cold sweat. For a moment he couldn’t think past the betrayal. He felt sick, his stomach aching. Aaron pressed his hand to his mouth, breath coming fast as he tried not to panic. His vision blurred as tears filled his eyes. He tightened the trembling fingers of his left hand around his phone so it wouldn’t slip from his grasp, then shoved it into his pocket. Every part of him felt weak and shaky with horror. This was… it was not just a betrayal, it was a violation. His right hand was pressed to his mouth, and he dragged it down his chin before letting it drop down to his side, fingers clenching into a fist.

Jay. It had to be him. That morning, when Ben and Jay were telling him what had happened that night, he had said it was him who had sent Chrissie the photo of Robert and Aaron. Not just any photo, but he’d purposely chosen the most harmful one. The most incriminating one. He’d told Aaron some sob story about an ex who had refused to come out for him. He’d said that Robert’s behavior that night had reminded him of his ex, and he couldn’t stop himself from trying to show Chrissie the truth about the man she was about to marry. Jay had done this. He clearly had issues about men in denial, and Robert was definitely deep in the closet. Jay had come in and found Aaron’s phone still recording. He had made sure to get a close up of them. And then he had sent it to Chrissie. Either he remembered her number from when he’d sent the photo earlier that night, or else he’d gone into Robert’s phone for the contact.

This hadn’t been an accident. It couldn’t be blamed on alcohol. Jay had drunk far less than Aaron and Robert. This was done purposely, because he wanted to get back at some random he wasn’t even dating anymore.

Aaron didn’t even realize he’d walked out of the guest room until he found himself looking at Jay. The slim man had gotten up off the sofa. His back was turned toward Aaron as he walked to the kitchen, arms full of empty beer cans that he was clearing away. Aaron didn’t think twice. He stalked over to the man, past the sofa where Ben was sitting and looking up at him curiously. Aaron reached out, grabbed Jay’s shoulder, and pulled him around roughly. Empty beer cans went tumbling everywhere as he jerked the smaller man around to face him.

Aaron pulled his fist back and smashed it into Jay’s chin.

Only his grip on the other man’s shirt kept Jay upright. “What are you doing?!” Ben shouted from behind him as he swung again. “Get off him!” He felt Ben’s hands on his arms, pulling him away. Aaron lost his grip on Jay’s shirt, and the slim man fell to the floor, curling up and trying to protect his face from further assault. Aaron tried to pull away from Ben’s grasp to relaunch himself at the helpless man, rage sizzling through his veins and wiping away the cold horror that had overtaken him after he’d seen that video. The bearded man was too strong for him, built like a flipping ox. He was muscle laid over more muscle, and it was barely a struggle for him to pull Aaron away and shove him toward the door of the flat.

“Get out!” Ben snarled, furious. Aaron tried pushing past him to get inside again, but Ben gave him one last shove past the door so he was left out on the pavement. “What the hell is wrong with you? I swear, if you don’t leave now, I’ll call the police.”

Despite his rage, he knew he had to bottle it or risk everything. He was on a suspended sentence. No way was he throwing his life away because of one interfering little toad. Aaron pointed past Ben, toward the flat where Jay was hiding. “You’d better do yourself a favor and chuck that one before he ruins your life!”

“I said leave,” Ben thundered, taking a threatening step toward him.

Aaron gave a humorless laugh. “I’m leaving, no need to tell me again. You’d best watch yourself before he decides to do you any favors. Ask him what he’s done! Ask him about the video he sent to Chrissie!”

Not giving Ben a chance to say anything else, he stormed away. Getting punched was the least of what Jay deserved, and it left Aaron seething that he hadn’t gotten a chance to give him a proper lesson. He wanted to go back in there, and who gave a damn if he had to take on Ben as well. But the last thing he needed was the aggro of being locked up for assault.

Still furious, Aaron called for his taxi and set his mind on something besides Jay. Like what was he going to tell Robert? And if he told Robert everything, what was the blond going to do about it?

 

*****

**6 December 2014  
Saturday**

If he hadn’t been running on so little sleep, he wasn’t sure he could have gone to bed once he was home. The taxi dropped him off at the Woolpack before the pub had closed for the night. Chas was working the bar, and he made sure she spotted him before he went up to his room. He figured if she knew he was home, she might not drag him over the coals whenever she managed to corner him. Aaron knew his mum. She wouldn’t just forget that she wanted answers about where he’d disappeared for two nights. He was just glad she was working, and he didn’t have to worry about all of her questions until the next day.

He was due at the garage again in the morning, and he was actually a bit surprised when he went down to the kitchen and Chas wasn’t there waiting to pounce. He poured himself a bowl of cereal for his brekkie, and as he ate, his mind was on Robert and the video. Aaron didn’t know what Robert had decided to do after they had parted ways the night before. After seeing the video in its entirety, he doubted Chrissie had taken him back. So if he wasn’t at Home Farm, where would Robert go? The B&B? Val would have all sorts of questions if Aaron turned up asking after the other man.

Before this week, it had been Aaron’s goal to have as little to do with Robert as possible. He’d never bothered to take down the older man’s number. If they weren’t speaking to each other in person, then Ross had been their point of contact. There was no way he was asking Ross for Robert’s number, so Aaron headed over to Victoria’s cottage. It was luck that had her leaving her home as he walked up, but that’s where his luck ended.

Victoria stood before him, hands on her hips as she defended her brother. She simply didn’t realize that it wasn’t Aaron that she needed to protect him from. “What are you planning to do?” Vic asked him, still not telling him where Robert was.

The cottage door behind her opened, and the man himself stepped out. The tall blond looked tired, like he hadn’t slept much. “What’s all this?” he asked, seeing his sister facing off with Aaron.

“Aaron here has just finished beating up someone, and he figures he’s going to try and do the same to you,” Vic said, glancing at Robert over her shoulder. It didn’t escape Aaron’s notice that she didn’t move out from between them.

“Really?” Robert said, looking at Aaron curiously. He didn’t look in the least bit concerned. “Who’d you beat up?” he asked.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be asking why you’re next?”

Robert stepped out of the doorway and nodded toward the inside of the cottage, in clear invitation. “Why don’t you come in?”

Victoria turned to look at her brother, and Aaron took advantage of her distraction to walk around her and into the cottage. “Er, what do you think you’re up to?” he heard her ask her brother as Aaron went in. "Or didn't you hear me when I said he wants to kill you?" He didn’t hear Robert’s response. Aaron walked in and waited for the other man to join him, pacing the living room to help let go of some nervous energy. He’d had hours to try and make up his mind about what he would say to Robert about Jay and the video, but he hadn’t actually made a decision.

“Aaron?”

He turned toward the other man. Robert stood in the entryway, waiting for Aaron to say something. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his hands so tight he felt a couple of his knuckles pop. “I’ve got something to tell you,” he said, “and you’re not going to like it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter wasn't too upsetting, given the non-con video. I'm pretty sure I made it very clear within the story that it is not okay to distribute nude videos/pics that you have taken of someone, or that someone has shared with you. Consent is the name of the game, in my book. If someone doesn't agree to have their picture taken or a video taken, then it should most definitely never be sent to anyone, or posted on social media. I think my views on this topic come across loud and clear within the story, but I didn't want there to be any misunderstandings.
> 
> As ever, I welcome all comments, good or bad. Thanks for sticking with me as the drama continues to unfold!


	8. Chapter 8

**6 December 2014  
Saturday**

It wasn’t awkward at all having Vic supervise his visit with Robert. Not one little bit. Aaron shifted uncomfortably on the kitchen chair as the silence hanging over the three of them dragged on. He reached for the biscuit tin that sat on the wooden table in front of him. He’d eaten four already and wanted a fifth about as much as he wanted a hole in his head, but it gave him something to do.

He glanced over at Victoria and found that she was regarding him with curiosity, clearly dying to know why he wanted to speak to Robert. Her eyes were bright and direct, and when he saw her trying to catch his gaze, Aaron looked down and stuffed another biscuit in his mouth. He was buying time as he tried to think up some kind of reason for why he’d come over to break bad news to Robert. He had assumed that the older man would manage to get rid of Vic before coming inside to speak to him. It had been a surprise when she poked her head around Robert’s taller frame to say, “What do you mean you’ve got something to tell him? What isn’t he going to like?”

Aaron had tried to backtrack. When he had gotten all tongue-tied, Victoria seemed to think the news was bad enough to warrant a brew. He’d been helpless to stop her from putting the kettle on and setting out her homemade biscuits. The three of them had been sitting silently at the kitchen table for a few uncomfortable minutes while Aaron’s brain scrambled for a believable lie to tell her. Unfortunately for him, there was a reason he preferred being honest; he was rubbish at lying. He only ever did it when he was pushed into a corner and saw no other way out.

“So,” Vic finally broke the silence. Aaron spotted Robert hastily bringing his cup to his lips, sipping lightly at his brew while trying to look casual. He was clearly trying to keep his mouth busy so he wouldn’t have to answer her questions. Aaron would have laughed if he hadn’t been trying to do the exact same thing with the biscuits. “Aaron,” Victoria said, grabbing his attention by leaning in over the table toward him. “You know I love having you over, but do you think maybe you can tell us why you’re here? You said you had something to tell Rob, and he wasn’t going to like it.”

“Er, right,” Aaron agreed, shooting a meaningful look at Robert.

“I think maybe it’s best if we speak alone,” the blond told his sister, correctly guessing that Aaron wanted to talk about the video.

She was shaking her head, looking stubborn. “I told you last night I’d be here for you. I’m not going to walk out on you when you’re about to get some bad news.”

“Vic, I appreciate your support, I really do,” Robert assured her. “But maybe I should be hearing about this privately?”

“About what?” she demanded, looking between them.

Aaron swallowed down the dry biscuit, clearing his throat and then trying to take a sip of his tea. It was piping hot, and he narrowly avoided getting his mouth scalded. He set the cup back down and wracked his brain for something to say - anything! “Er… Well, i-it’s about the car, isn’t it?” he stuttered, thinking about the Austin-Healey that he had meant to contact Chrissie about before all hell broke loose. He was hoping Robert would catch on. Even though the car was meant to be a wedding surprise, Robert knew all about it because he had seen Aaron talking to Chrissie. The older man had gotten his knickers in a twist over their meeting about the car because he didn’t want Aaron having contact with her after Robert had blackmailed him and Ross into robbing Home Farm. He was worried that the more contact Aaron had with Chrissie, the more likely it was that he’d tell her about the robbery. Robert had been quick to warn Aaron to keep his distance.

“The car, right,” Robert agreed, giving him a confused look while his sister’s face was safely turned away from him. He clearly had no idea where Aaron was going with this.

“Yeah,” Aaron said, gesturing toward the other man. The blond quickly wiped his expression clean when Vic glanced at him. “Yeah,” Aaron said again, giving a nod. “Well, I have news about the car, and you’re not going to like it.”

“Has your car broken down?” Victoria asked, her attention thankfully on Robert now. “That fancy sports car you drive around?”

“Er, it did, yes. I had to call Aaron out the other day so he could come have a look at it for me,” Robert told her. Aaron raised his eyebrows, wondering if Vic would really believe that a brand new car was suddenly going to stop working. She might, because however unlikely the story, it was immediately clear that Robert lied much more smoothly than Aaron did. His expression was completely open and earnest as he spoke to his younger sister, like he had nothing to hide. “The engine completely cut out on my way to a meeting.”

“But I saw you driving it just last night!”

“It’s a temporary fix,” Robert told her, not even breaking a sweat. Aaron rolled his eyes. “I think Aaron here was just about to tell me how big the problem is.”

“Bigger than you think,” he grumbled under his breath.

“What was that?” Victoria asked him.

Robert got to his feet, distracting her from Aaron. “I can handle it from here, Vic. Don’t worry about it, alright?”

“If you’re sure…”

“I’m sure,” Robert told her.

Vic got to her feet, giving them both an exasperated look. “What is it with you two and your cars? A simple break down isn’t the end of the world!” She gave a laugh then, actually looking amused as she came over to give Aaron’s shoulder a playful shove. “I can’t believe I thought you were here to beat him up!”

Aaron gave a shrug and shook his head. “Just business, isn’t it? And I am a mechanic, so…”

“Sorry, Aaron, I hope you’re not bothered by me thinking you were going to hit him,” she apologized. “But you can hardly blame me! You looked like you were about to kill someone when you walked over, doing that scowly thing of yours,” she teased him, scrunching up her face in the worst imitation of a scowl that he had ever seen. He was sure he had never looked like that. “Alright, I’m going to leave the two of you on your own. I’m trusting you not to get in any trouble! Because if you break a single thing in my kitchen-”

“Thanks, Vic,” Robert interrupted her, looking both fond of her and annoyed. She gave him a pleased smirk (one that immediately showed the family resemblance between the two Sugdens), and left the kitchen. Neither of them moved or made a sound until they heard the door close. Robert glanced at Aaron briefly before going to check that Vic hadn’t decided to pull a fast one by sticking around to eavesdrop.

Aaron slouched on his chair and grabbed his cup, cautiously sipping at the hot tea. It was good. Trust Vic to make an excellent brew. Robert came back to find him enjoying his cuppa, looking more than a bit irritated at Aaron. The blond stood over him, hands on his hips as he waited impatiently. “She’s gone. Well? Are you going to say something? Or did you actually come here to beat me up, like Vic said?”

“If I’d wanted to punch you, I’d have done it by now,” Aaron said, taking another sip. “And I don’t normally stop and have a cuppa before I deck someone. Not my style.”

“Yeah, too much of a chance for them to run off before you get around to hitting them,” the other man agreed, irritation seeming to leech away. The tall man returned to his seat and grabbed his own cup. Once again, Aaron was struck by how tired Robert looked. He had so little color, even his lips had gone pale. He seemed more withdrawn than normal, otherwise he probably would have been making snarky comments and pestering Aaron by now. It was oddly calm between them as they enjoyed their brews. They sat together at the kitchen table, and for some reason the momentary quiet lacked the uncomfortable quality from earlier, when Vic had been present.

Aaron struggled to find a way to start the conversation. “Have you heard from Chrissie?” he finally asked.

Robert raised his eyebrows at him. “You were quiet for so long I was beginning to think you just came by to enjoy my company. So you _are_ here about Chrissie, then? I hope that doesn’t mean she’s the one you just finished hitting, especially given the state of your hand. Those knuckles look pretty raw.”

Aaron felt like hiding his reddened hand under the table, but he left it where it was, curled around his cup. “Right, because that’s what I like to do with my spare time - batter women for the fun of it.”

Robert gave him an amused smirk before he took a sip from his cup. “You never know.”

“Yeah, well hitting women goes against the rules of being a Dingle.”

“The what?”

“There are rules. Not that you need to know them, since you’re never going to be a Dingle.” Aaron realized they were both avoiding the real topic. He had the feeling Robert didn’t want to talk about the video, but there wasn’t a choice. “You never answered me about Chrissie.”

Robert sat up in his chair, giving a dismissive shrug. “She’s ignoring my phone calls. What did you expect after I sent her a video like that?”

Aaron clenched his jaw, his mind once again on Jay. Here Robert was, blaming himself for sending a video when it was Jay who had done it. That wasn’t to say that Robert was blameless, but who hadn’t done stupid and regretful things when they were drunk out of their minds? It was one of the biggest reasons people normally avoided getting that drunk; it lead to loss of control and stupid decisions. But regardless of what he and Robert had intended on doing, they hadn’t actually slept together. Robert hadn’t committed the “crime” so to speak, but he was being punished for it because of Jay. And while normally Aaron wouldn’t give a toss about Robert being on the hook for this, it was different this time because someone Aaron had introduced him to had taken advantage of him. That was unacceptable.

“Look, about that-” Aaron started, but he was immediately interrupted.

“I told you last night, I don’t want to talk about it,” Robert snapped at him, anger finally giving him some color. His cheeks had gone pink. It was actually a good look on him (what wasn’t?), and it left Aaron more than a bit annoyed at himself. If he had learned anything from this past week, it was that being around Robert complicated things. Aaron had promised himself and his mum that once he came back from France, he was going to stay out of trouble. Robert was nothing but trouble. Even though he knew that, the sight of the blond glaring at him, cheeks gone pink and eyes hot with anger, Aaron felt his body reacting. He felt stupid little butterflies in his belly, and it made him scowl as he met Robert’s temper with his own.

“Yeah, well tough. The whole reason I’m here is because of the video! I finished watching it.”

“So you’re here to tell me what? That I made a complete fool of myself and sent my fiancee a video of us having sex?” Robert asked, his tone a bit sour. “Thanks, but I already knew that.”

Aaron frowned, irritated at the way the other man was lashing out at him. “Er, no. Or don’t you remember that I woke up that morning with my clothes on? We didn’t have sex. I passed out before anything could happen.”

Robert seemed to let that information soak in for a second or two. “You’re sure about this? Because you told me once before that nothing happened, and I went home to Chrissie and found out otherwise.”

“You can’t blame me for telling you nothing happened when I remembered about as much from that night as you did! But I’m telling you now, I saw the video, and we definitely didn’t have sex.”

“Well that’s something, I guess,” Robert said. “She can’t throw what we have away if I wasn’t actually unfaithful to her. We can still get married. Maybe I can talk her around, and convince her to see some sense.”

Aaron looked away, shaking his head. Robert seemed less like a man determined to win back the woman he loved, and more like a businessman intent on going after a client that was about to do business elsewhere. “Yeah, well before you start planning the date, there’s something you should know. It wasn’t you that sent her the video.” Robert got to his feet, shaking his head angrily. He probably thought Aaron was about to fess up to it. “Neither of us did,” Aaron told him, also standing up. He wanted to be on his feet in case Robert came at him. The other man seemed like the sort who preferred to fight his battles with words and schemes, but as Aaron knew all too well, sometimes it was easier to simply lash out.

“Right, so it just sent itself, did it?” Robert mocked him.

Aaron rolled his eyes, finished trying to get through to him. “Forget it,” he snarled, glaring at the taller man. “I don’t need this aggro!”

“Wait, Aaron,” Robert called out. “I’m sorry, alright? Just tell me what you meant, when you said neither of us sent it.”

Aaron bit his lip, then grabbed his phone from his pocket and unlocked the screen. “You should see it for yourself,” he told Robert as he found the video. “Just skip over the first part. No need to put us through that again,” he muttered, somewhat embarrassed as he remembered how he’d laid on the bed, openly staring at Robert and saying he fancied him. The only thing that made him feel better was that Robert was probably more horrified about his own actions than Aaron’s.

He paced as Robert watched the recording, and glanced over at his face a few times to see how he was taking it. The other man looked very uncomfortable when it got to the part where he had crawled on the bed to give a slumbering Aaron a surprisingly tender kiss, but that was nothing to how his face got stony when Jay entered the room. When the recording reached its end, he looked up at Aaron as he handed the phone back to him. His blue-green eyes were sharp as he asked, “So which of them was it? You know what, it doesn’t matter. I’ll make sure they both regret this.”

“Right, and you’re planning to what? Go over there and beat them both up?” Aaron mocked him. “Ben would wipe the floor with you, and I already gave Jay what was coming to him.”

He caught Robert glancing down at his hand, the one with reddened knuckles. The older man gave a brief, satisfied smile, but it was quickly gone as his anger at the situation returned. “So it was Jay who sent it to Chrissie? Aaron, do you realize what he’s done? The man’s a creep, and he deserves more than a few punches. You know he does!”

“Yeah, he does, but what are we supposed to do about it?” Aaron demanded. “If we go back there, they’ll call the police. I can’t go back to prison, Robert. I’m on a suspended sentence. I’m lucky they didn’t report me for what I did last night!”

“I know someone I can call,” Robert told him.

Aaron raised his eyebrows. “Seriously? You’re going to pay someone to do your dirty work again? Like you did with me and Ross? That’s what it always comes down to with you, isn’t it? You think if you throw enough money at a problem, it’ll just go away. Any chance to show off, and you’ll take it!”

“That’s not what this is,” Robert protested. “He doesn’t just get to walk away from this, not after sending that video to Chrissie.”

“There are some things money can’t fix,” Aaron told him, feeling more than a bit vulnerable. He hated what Jay had done because it was a violation of trust, a betrayal. Robert was clearly upset, but it was like it mattered more to him that his relationship had been affected. Couldn’t he see that relationships could be mended? He still had a chance to make things work with Chrissie, if that's really what he wanted. What couldn’t be changed was what Jay had done. It was disturbing on so many levels, and if Aaron let himself dwell on it too long, it made him sick to his stomach to think of him and Robert just laying in that bed, helpless as Jay took advantage of them.

Shivering as he remembered how cold and sick he’d felt when he first saw the video, Aaron rubbed at his mouth as he tried to regain his composure. He looked at Robert, not liking the way he still looked like he was out for blood. His mouth was set, jaw clenched and eyes hard. Robert looked determined to go out and do something about this, which was the last thing they needed. Aaron jabbed his finger into Robert’s chest, leaning in threateningly close. “Paying some thug like Ross to go over and teach Jay a lesson isn’t going to change anything. Ben and Jay will think it was me. As soon as anything happens to Jay, they’re going to call the police and send them my way. And I know you probably don’t give a toss about what happens to me, but I can tell you right now, Robert, if the police come after me I will drop you in it so fast you won’t know what hit you.”

With that threat hanging in the air, Aaron turned and walked out of Victoria’s cottage, hoping that Robert decided to listen to him. He headed for the garage, and his bad mood wasn’t helped any when he found his uncle opening up. Predictably, when Cain spotted him, he took one look at Aaron’s face and frowned. “What’s up with you?” he asked.

“Nothing,” he lied.

“And I’m supposed to believe that?” Cain asked, eyeing Aaron. “I didn’t take you for stupid.”

“It’s nothing, alright?” Aaron snapped. His uncle let it drop, but Cain was right. Aaron wasn’t stupid, and he knew this wasn’t the end of it. Cain had probably already decided to stop at the pub after work and have a chat with his sister to see if she knew what was bothering his nephew. Having Cain and Chas on his case wasn’t what Aaron wanted or needed right now. He just needed to forget any of this had ever happened.

That’s why he used his lunch break to go to the cafe, where Cain wasn’t around to overhear him call Frankie. He made plans with the younger man, intending to stay over at his for the night. He knew his mum would already want to talk to him about where he’d been disappearing to all week, and putting her off for one more night wasn’t going to make things any worse. Aaron would go into Hotten after he finished up at the garage so he could enjoy himself with Frankie, and then if the younger man was up for it, he could lose himself in him and forget everything for a night.

After he ended the call with Frankie, he wondered what it said about him that what he wanted most right then was to talk to Robert again. It didn’t even make sense. All they would do was fight some more. Or they might kiss again. As hung up on marrying Chrissie as Robert was, he’d still come onto Aaron more than once. They would both be lying if either of them tried to say there was nothing there between them. At the very least, there was an attraction, even if they were always butting heads. If Aaron really wanted to forget things for a while, snogging Robert would do the trick.

After his lunch break, Aaron left the cafe and headed back to work, thinking about how Robert had pinned him against a car at the garage, lips pressed hungrily to his own. It was probably a good thing that he hadn’t ever gotten around to saving Robert’s number. The temptation to call the other man and try his luck would have been too much to resist.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As those of you who have read my other AU fics know, I like mixing canon with the stuff I make up. You’ll recognize parts from the show in this chapter, but with my own spin on it =)

**7 December 2014  
Sunday**

By the time his taxi pulled up to the Woolpack on Sunday morning, he’d gotten ten texts from his mum.

Aaron had sent her a message last night to let her know he wouldn’t be coming home, and yet she still felt the need to bombard his phone with concerned texts. It was ridiculous! He was a grown man, and having his mum try to track his whereabouts was aggravating. Maybe if he was sixteen years old, it would make more sense. But he wasn’t a child anymore; he was twenty-two now, and had lived away from home for the past two years. He’d taken care of himself in that time, without her around to keep tabs on him. Why did she have to take so much interest now?

He deliberately ignored her texts last night and this morning, even though he knew not responding would only worry her more. Aaron had turned his phone off while he spent time with Frankie, not wanting to hear it chime every time his mum sent him a message. His frustration had been clear to see when he had turned up at the younger man’s flat. Aaron had been so wound up that Frankie had cancelled their plans to go out. Instead, he’d put in an order for takeaway, and they had holed up in his flat. They had joked around, and when Aaron had finally relaxed enough, Frankie had gotten him to offload.

Normally Aaron wasn’t one to talk much about his feelings, or things that were bothering him. There was something about Frankie that made it a little easier to open up than he usually found it. Aaron had told him everything, but he kept it short. He wasn’t up to a big heart to heart or anything like that. He’d told Frankie about how he had realized he was attracted to Robert, and then about the video. Aaron played it off as something he was angry about, not wanting to explain how sick it made him feel when he thought about it.

Frankie had listened to it all, including the parts where Aaron confessed to having real - if mixed - feelings for Robert. To his surprise, Frankie didn’t take Aaron’s confession personally. He’d made one joke about having to take second place, but then he’d let it go. The short conversation left Aaron feeling grateful, and he was filled with admiration for the younger man. Frankie was supportive and empathetic. He listened carefully, and didn’t force his opinions on Aaron. And most importantly, he seemed to be able to read between the lines, and didn’t pressure Aaron to go into more detail than he was comfortable with.

It left him wishing that it was Frankie that he wanted to be with. The lad was prettier than he had any right to be, and underneath all the flirting and cheeriness he was older than his years. Aaron was attracted to him, there was no doubt about that. Frankie was fit, from his taut, muscular body to his perfect, somewhat effeminate features. Everything in Aaron was telling him to stop being stupid and to just go for it.

But even if he did try for something more long term with the lad, it wasn’t what Frankie wanted. He’d made his views on Aaron’s temper clear that day that he’d seen him shove Robert against a car. The disapproval was evident when Frankie heard about Jay being punched for sending the video to Chrissie. Even if somehow Aaron could learn to manage his temper so that he never attacked another bloke again, he couldn’t change himself entirely. When he was angry, he couldn’t hide it. He got that from Chas. Maybe it was a Dingle family trait. Some of them were more volatile than others, but there wasn’t a single one of his lot that didn’t mouth off when pushed to their limits.

For better or worse, it was Robert he felt drawn to. Apparently, kindness wasn’t a big turn on for Aaron. He couldn’t fall for a decent, caring lad. No, he had to be attracted to an arrogant prat who still insisted he was straight, despite video proof to the contrary. He had to be attracted to the man who smiled when he learned Aaron had decked Jay. He had to be attracted to the man who was willing to start an argument with him, then push him up against a car and snog him before carrying on with the fight.

There really was no accounting for taste.

Still, a night spent with Frankie put things in perspective for Aaron. He had someone to compare Robert to, and the older man was coming up short. Even though his little chat with Frankie had only skimmed the surface of his feelings about everything that had gone on the past few days, it still left him feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Robert never made him feel like that. He only ever felt varying degrees of anger and lust around the older man. And sometimes maybe a spot of humor. Robert could be charming when he wasn’t being an idiot.

Being able to compare the blond to Frankie made him more resolved than ever to steer clear of Robert. Aaron had made a promise to Chas to keep out of trouble when he returned from France. He hadn’t done a great job of it so far, but that was all the more reason to avoid both Robert and Chrissie. He didn’t need her showing up at the garage again to slap him. He also didn’t need Robert confusing him by flirting with him one minute and shouting at him the next.

So that morning when his taxi pulled up in front of the Woolpack, Aaron chose to ignore the other man when he spotted him across the road. He paid the driver, shut the door, and headed for the pub. When he heard his name called, he ignored it and kept walking. He didn’t count on Robert coming after him and grabbing his arm to stop him before he could get inside. Aaron had assumed that the other man wouldn’t want to be seen talking to him in public, in case his precious fiancee turned up to see them speaking.

“Didn’t you hear me calling your name?” Robert demanded, upset.

Aaron pulled his arm out of the other man’s grasp. “I’m not deaf, Robert.”

“Nice, so you were purposely ignoring me? That’s real mature of you.”

“We’ve got nothing left to say to each other,” Aaron said, tucking his hands into the pockets of his black jacket as an icy gust smacked into him from behind. The wind blew through the blond strands of Robert’s hair, pushing it back from his face. It made him look ruffled and less put together than normal; more approachable.

“Why are you being like this?” Robert asked, looking genuinely confused.

 _Because I don’t want to like you,_ he wanted to say. Instead, Aaron gave a shrug and shook his head. “Like what? Look, I don’t have time for this, so what do you want?”

“Right, because your Sundays are always so busy!” the blond exclaimed, sarcasm heavy in his voice. “It’s not like the garage is closed on Sundays or anything. Oh wait, yes it is!”

Aaron took a deep breath and rubbed at his eyes with irritation. It was pretty easy not to like Robert right now. “Like I said, what do you want?”

“We still need to talk about Jay,” Robert told him.

Aaron shook his head. “No, because you’re staying away from him. Nothing left to talk about, is there? Look Robert, I already gave him a beating. That has to be enough. So if you don’t mind, I’ve got other things to do.”

“Fine, bury your head in the sand!” Robert scoffed, losing his patience with Aaron. “Sorry to interrupt your morning. You must be tired after spending the night out. Did your toy boy keep you up?”

Chas appeared at the door before Aaron could say anything. He didn’t miss the way she was looking at the two of them, clearly curious about what they were saying to each other. He’d suspect her of interrupting just to satisfy her curiosity, but there was a delivery truck pulled up nearby. She was there to accept the new delivery, and not to be nosy. Aaron used her interruption as a way to end the conversation with Robert. Clenching his jaw, he reached up for his hood and pulled it up to help block the wind, and to block out both Robert and Chas. He made his way inside without a word to either of them.

He’d gotten very little sleep over the past few days, so Aaron went up to his room and settled down for a nap. He slept for a little over an hour, and felt much better when he woke at noon. At least being well rested helped him feel a little more prepared to finally speak to his mum. Aaron showered, then dressed in his customary black hoodie and jeans. He made his way down to the kitchen, grabbed a packet of crisps, and then went out to the bar.

“Would that be your lunch or your breakfast?” Chas asked him as he made his way around from the back of the bar so he could take a seat on one of the stools in front of her.

“I haven’t decided yet. Either way, I’ll have a pint to go with it,” he told her, plucking another crisp from the bag and popping it into his mouth.

“Nice.”

“Right, because you’re an angel,” he pointed out as he settled down on his stool.

“Right, we’ll leave it there, shall we?” she said, grabbing a glass and placing it under the tap. “Otherwise I might start asking questions about where you spent the night.”

Aaron heard his phone chime while she started pouring his pint. “You wouldn’t want to do that,” he agreed, knowing that she was probably dying to interrogate him.

“Like you’d tell me if I did,” she grumbled. Aaron pulled his phone from the pocket of his jeans and saw that he’d gotten a text from an unknown number. “Would that be someone checking that you got home okay?”

He barely heard her as he read the text. It was from Robert. Aaron was at a loss as to how the older man had gotten his number, but that wasn’t the important part. He wanted to meet him at a lay-by just outside of Emmerdale. Aaron knew the spot. It was off a small road that saw very little traffic. He frowned. Why would Robert want to meet him there? Sure, it was private, but why not meet back at Vic’s?

Glancing up, he caught his mum looking at him expectantly. “What?”

“Ugh, never mind! I’ll just pour you a beer.”

“There’s no need,” he told her, getting to his feet.

“No, where are you going?” she complained. “You’ve been gone all week!”

“Oh, have I? Thanks for keeping tabs.”

“I try my best,” she joked. “Do you know when you’ll be back?”

“Not sure yet,” he said as he headed toward the exit. “I’ll let you know!” he called over his shoulder.

“And about last night too?”

She never gave up, did she? He found himself somewhat amused, and glanced back at her as he said, “Yeah, nice try!” Chas actually cracked a smile at that. The fact that she was smiling at all let him know that they were okay. Nothing had changed between them, despite the fact that she might be frustrated that she didn’t know where he had been disappearing to all week, or that he might be frustrated that she was always breathing down his neck.

Aaron left the pub, finding that it had warmed up quite a bit since that morning. The chilly wind had died down, and the sun had come out. He got lucky, considering that he’d been so preoccupied with the text from Robert that he’d left the pub without his jacket. He was wearing just his black hoodie over a matching t-shirt. It might be unseasonably warm for December, but it was still winter, and the hoodie was barely enough. Aaron got in the black Volkswagen he’d bought for himself since coming back home and turned the heat up a bit.

It was a quick drive out to the lay-by, and he spotted the shiny white Audi immediately. He pulled up in front of it. Aaron turned the car off, watching through his rear view mirror as Robert opened his door and got out. Taking a deep breath, he went out to meet him. “So what’s the problem? Don’t tell me your car’s actually broken down?” he joked as he walked over to the older man. Robert stood by his fancy car, wearing his expensive Italian leather coat unzipped over a blue jumper. The color brought out the green in his eyes. Not that Aaron cared about his eyes, or how green they looked at the moment.

Robert gestured with his hands, which were tucked in the pockets of his jacket. “There’s nothing wrong with the car.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know. You couldn’t have thought of a better lie to tell Vic?”

“You’re the one that brought up my car in the first place,” Robert reminded him.

“I meant the car that Chrissie was going to buy you for your wedding.” The blond stared at him for a moment, confused. “You forgot about it? Your bird arranges for me to get you a classic, and you actually forgot?”

“Well, I’ve had bigger things on my mind, haven’t I?”

Knowing that Robert was leading into another argument about Jay, Aaron beat him to the punch. “If this is you trying to talk me into going after Jay, don’t bother.”

“I didn’t think you’d changed your mind between this morning and now,” Robert told him.

“So what, you just like wasting my time, do you? Is that how you get your kicks?” Aaron asked him, irritated. If Robert wasn’t going to try and talk him around, then why had he asked Aaron to come out here?

“What do you think?” the older man said, looking a bit exasperated.

“I think I don’t like being messed around,” Aaron said. He shook his head and turned to walk back toward his car.

“Don’t!” Something about the tone of the other man’s voice made it impossible to just walk away. Aaron faced him, aware that the blond had stepped closer. He wasn’t quite invading Aaron’s space, but he was stood closer than normal. Those green eyes were dark with emotion as they scanned over Aaron’s face. “I’m… I’m not messing you around,” he promised, voice deep.

“Really? And how’s that?” Aaron asked, waiting for Robert to make a move. The tension was so thick between them that it felt almost physical, like something he’d be able to reach out and touch.

“Because you know why we’re both still here,” Robert said.

“Do I?” Aaron murmured, unconsciously taking a half step closer. Robert swayed toward him, making Aaron’s heart beat wildly in his chest as the distance between their bodies shrank.

Robert turned his face and pulled back. “Forget it,” he said, stepping away.

The full stop left Aaron scrambling, his thoughts jumbled and his body almost quivering. He stared at Robert, hardly believing that he was ending things there. “Fine,” he rasped, feeling unsatisfied. “See you around.” He hurried toward his car before he could say anything else. He could tell Robert wanted him. Why was he fighting this, trying to pretend like he wasn’t interested in Aaron? Not that Aaron had much room to talk. He’d been trying to talk himself out of fancying the other man all week. Honestly, denying the attraction wasn’t doing Aaron any favors, because the idea that being with Robert was in some way forbidden was actually kind of hot. But at least his own avoidance made sense. He was trying to be smart, and stay out of trouble. What was Robert’s excuse? Was he really that scared to admit he was attracted to a bloke?

He heard the gravel on the road scuff under Robert’s shoes, giving him only a moment’s notice before the other man grabbed him by the shoulders and swung him around. Those hands shifted up to his face, holding him in place as Robert swooped in to kiss him. Aaron clung to him. He gripped tightly onto the front of the other man’s leather jacket as Robert took control of the kiss.

He heard the blond give a soft moan, like a man who had finally given into what he wanted. The sound had his belly tightening, and then Aaron was guiding Robert backwards, to his car. They shuffled toward the Volkswagen, moving blindly as they snogged each other. Aaron swung out one hand, feeling around for the door handle and then shoving it open. He pulled at that sexy leather jacket as he nudged Robert toward the back seat.

“Wait, wait, no,” Robert said, pulling back. Aaron watched, hungry for more as the other man straightened his rumpled jacket.

“What?” Aaron asked, reaching for the taller man’s waist. Robert stepped around him so that he wasn’t stuck between Aaron and the car.

“I don’t know. This was a mistake.”

Aaron stared as Robert started walking away from him. How could he just leave? He clearly wanted Aaron, as much as Aaron wanted him. What was the problem here? Was it Chrissie? He’d be willing to believe Robert didn’t want to cheat on her, except that they weren’t even together at the moment, were they? And even if they were, Robert had a history for cheating. Why would he suddenly grow a conscience now?

“This isn’t your first time, is it?” Aaron called out to him, following Robert to his Audi. “I thought not! It’s pretty obvious.”

“What is?” Robert demanded, sounding defensive as he paused by his door to look over at him.

“You’re gay,” Aaron stated as he watched the other man’s face.

The blond frowned at him. “I’m not gay!”

“Really.”

“I’m engaged! Or at least I was until you ruined everything.”

“That proves nothing,” Aaron told him. “You’re gay, and you can’t accept it.”

“You don’t know anything about me. Look, I’m sorry I lead you on, but this was a mistake. I need to try and fix things with Chrissie.” The look Robert shot at him then was full of resentment. “She’s dumped me because of you. I had to go and collect my things from Home Farm this morning.”

Aaron tried not to feel pleased about that, but it was difficult. “You keep putting the blame on me, but that’s not how I see it. You came after me, remember?”

Robert shook his head angrily, not wanting to hear it. He opened his door and Aaron reached out to touch his arm. He only meant to grab his attention, hoping that he’d stop and listen. Robert overreacted, lashing out at Aaron and slamming him against the side of the car. Aaron held still, face close to the other man’s. He saw Robert’s green eyes shift down to his lips, and Aaron left them parted. For a moment it seemed like Robert might give in to temptation again and kiss him, but then he was shoving Aaron aside.

“Stay away from me,” Robert warned him. He slammed his door shut and drove off, the tires of his car kicking up gravel. Aaron was left on his own, frustrated as he simultaneously wanted to smack Robert for being an idiot and kiss him.

 

*****

 

**8 December 2014  
Monday**

The kiss on a quiet country road convinced Aaron that Robert wasn’t doing himself any favors by hiding in the closet. He’d never be free or comfortable in his own skin if he kept running from who he really was. Maybe their situations were different, but Aaron knew from experience that bottling it up and denying his sexuality would very likely lead Robert on a downward spiral. As much as the older man could irritate him sometimes, he hated to see him fighting who he was.

Being gay or bisexual wasn’t something that would just disappear. Ignoring it would fix nothing. It could even make things worse. Aaron remembered all too clearly how hopeless and full of despair he used to be, and how it had lead him to lock himself in the garage and try to kill himself. Robert didn’t strike him as the suicidal type, but who could say how he’d react once he hit rock bottom. After all, his engagement to Chrissie was over. Robert lived with her and worked for her dad. Was he now homeless and unemployed? Robert could very well be left with nothing, and Aaron knew from the things he’d already said that the older man would try blaming it all on his sexuality. He’d end up hating himself, and for no good reason.

It was Diane that indirectly presented Aaron with the chance to confront Robert. She was in a good mood that morning, and she offered to make Aaron breakfast before he left for the garage. Rather than head to Bob’s cafe like he’d originally planned, he sat at the table and read the paper while she puttered about the kitchen. He ended up spreading the newspaper out on the wooden surface so he could continue reading it after she set his plate down in front of him.

“Thanks,” he said, tucking into his meal.

She went to pour herself a cuppa as he started in on the heaping plate. “It’s not too much is it?” she asked. Aaron just shook his head, mouth full. “I hate you,” she commented.

He glanced over his shoulder at her as she set down the kettle. He swallowed, then said, “Don’t worry. I’ll be middle aged and fat one day.”

“Are you saying I’m fat?” she demanded.

Aaron considered that for a second, then gave a shrug. “I’m saying you’re middle aged rather than old.”

Diane took her turn to consider. “I’ll take that,” she agreed. She grabbed the two brews she had prepared, walking them over to the table so she could sit with him.

Victoria walked in as Diane set one of the cups down in front of Aaron. “Hi!” she called out as she came near. “Just wondering, is it still okay for us to have tea with Robert today?”

Diane sat down next to Aaron as he ate and said, “I’d ask you to join us, but I’m sure you wouldn’t want to after the last time.”

It was all too easy to recall the awkwardness of the last Sugden family get together, which was what had started everything off. “No, you’re alright. It’s nice to know other families are…”

“Screwed up like yours?”

Aaron frowned, grabbing his cup to take a sip of tea. “Wow. Cheers.”

“Right, so what time should I tell him?” Vic asked her step-mum.

“Who?” Diane asked, looking over at her.

“Robert!” the girl exclaimed as Aaron took another bite of his breakfast.

“Tea time, five o’clock.” The older woman turned back toward him and said, “Aaron, do you have tea, supper, or dinner? It’s a very divisive issue in some parts!”

“Tea time, five o’clock,” he said.

Diane looked back at Vic as Aaron chewed another mouthful. “Told you! They’re common like us.”

He wasn’t sure how much Robert would like it if he was around to hear his step-mum call their family common. He was always up in arms about something, and it was almost impossible for Aaron to guess what would bother him. Almost impossible, but not completely. He’d been bothered by Aaron’s presence the last time he’d had tea with his family. If Aaron were to interrupt again, only with Frankie this time… The older man had made a few snide remarks about the younger man, probably because he was jealous. Aaron had no doubt that if Robert spotted him with Frankie, he’d get upset and confront him. Maybe then he’d be willing to admit that he had an interest in Aaron, and that he wasn't straight. Maybe Robert would realize that he wasn’t alone, and that if he needed to talk about it, there was someone around who’d be willing to listen.

Now that Aaron knew Robert would be at the pub for tea, he decided it was time to make his own plans for the evening. He would call Frankie to see if the lad was available tonight. If he was, Aaron was going to make sure Robert saw them together. He was going to do his best to make sure Robert got jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll earn my Explicit rating on this story in the next chapter ;)
> 
> Thank you for continuing to read! Feel free to leave comments, good or bad. I always enjoy hearing from you.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut. Lots and lots of smut. As promised, I am earning the explicit rating I gave this story.
> 
> This chapter barely advances the plot in any meaningful way lol! But don't worry, if it's plot you want, I've got plans for the next chapter. Stay tuned.

**8 December 2014  
Monday**

The pub was full tonight, and Aaron was sitting by himself at a table waiting for Frankie to show. He’d already gotten the evils from Leyla and Vanessa for taking up space during the dinner rush, but he ignored them and periodically checked his phone for messages. The younger man was running late, and Aaron was getting impatient. He’d seen Robert arrive thirty minutes ago to follow Diane and Vic through to the back so they could have tea. His window of opportunity to drag Frankie back there so he could make his point - that Robert couldn’t ignore his attraction to a man - was quickly closing. Given that Robert hadn’t been able to sit through the full meal the last time the Sugdens had tried a family get together, Aaron couldn’t guess how long Robert would last before he lost his temper and stormed out.

Luck was with him though. After finishing their meal in the back, Robert, Victoria, and Diane made their way to the bar. Brother and sister sat next to each other on a couple of stools while Diane poured the pints. With Diane taking over, Chas went through to the back to take her break. Frankie could not have timed his entrance more perfectly. It was as if he could sense the moment Chas left the room. He spotted Aaron and came over to his table, unzipping his navy blue jacket as he walked.

“Sorry I’m late!” Frankie exclaimed, shrugging off his jacket to hang it over the back of his chair. “I got held up at work.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Aaron said, getting to his feet. “I’ll get us a couple of pints, yeah?”

He had to go past Frankie to get to the bar, and the younger man took advantage of his nearness to press a quick kiss to his cheek. Aaron had never been keen on public displays of affection, and he knew from how hot his face felt that he must have gone red. Frankie noticed. He gave a laugh as Aaron skulked off to the bar.

A quick glance around reassured him that most of everyone nearby hadn’t seen the little kiss. Except for Robert. The blond was watching him as he approached the bar. Aaron ignored him and came to stand next to Vic, placing her between them. “What’ll you have, pet?” Diane asked him.

“Two pints, Diane.” She gave a nod and moved away a couple feet to stand before the tap.

“Who’s that?” Vic asked, looking over her shoulder at Frankie with interest. “Is he your new boyfriend?”

“No, just someone I’ve been seeing,” Aaron said. Calling Frankie his boyfriend might make Robert jealous, but Vic would go around telling everyone that he was with someone. It wasn’t worth the hassle.

“You mean he’s not your boyfriend _yet,_ right?” Vic demanded, giving him an expectant look. “He’s adorable! He’ll have tons of blokes after him if you don’t ask him out properly.”

“Er, right, I’ll remember that for when I want your advice.”

Vic raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “Never say I didn’t warn you! Don’t look now, but Finn’s getting a good look in.”

Following her gaze, Aaron turned to look away from her (and her completely silent brother). Down the bar, Finn was indeed staring at the lad. Aaron just shrugged, then nodded his thanks to Diane when she slid two pints in front of him. “As nice as this little chat of ours was…”

“Yeah, yeah, go on, then,” Vic said, smiling as she watched him walk off.

Aaron made his way back to his table and sat down with Frankie. “Cheers,” the younger man said before sipping at his drink. More like gulping it down, really.

He watched as Frankie tossed back half his pint in seconds. “If I’d known you were thirsty, I’d have gotten you another,” Aaron told him, not sure if he should be amused or concerned.

“Sorry,” Frankie apologized, wiping a bit of foam from his upper lip. “My day didn’t end very well, is all. You don’t even want to know what I walked in on in the toilets at Bar West!”

Aaron grimaced. “You’re not going to try and tell me a story about some drunk getting sick in the toilets are you?”

“You guessed it,” Frankie shuddered. “It was literally all over. That’s why I was late getting here. I was stuck there pouring bleach over everything, when I really just wanted to pour it over my eyes. Some things, I just wish I didn’t have to see.”

“Yeah, and hear,” Aaron complained. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

Frankie laughed. “Alright, change of subject. Maybe you can tell me about that bloke over there who keeps staring at me.”

He glanced over at Finn, who was too busy gawping at Frankie to notice Aaron was looking at him. “Finn? Seriously?”

“Is that his name, then?” Frankie took a sip of his pint, wide brown eyes bright with amusement as he watched Aaron. “Since you’re pining after a certain blond I could name, I figure I should keep my options open.”

“It’s hardly pining, but point taken. I’m not sure you want to start with Finn though. He’s always going on about his Economics degree and how he’s too smart for his job at the B&B.”

Frankie shrugged, stealing a quick glance at Finn. “He looks like he’d be good for a cuddle. And I’m sure he’d worship me properly. I can’t say I like taking second place.”

Aaron gave him a little kick under the table, recognizing the mischievous look on his face. “Shut up,” Aaron told him, barely holding back a smile when Frankie started laughing while he tried to avoid his kick. “It’s not like you were in this for the long haul!”

“Maybe not,” Frankie agreed, “but I still like to know I have a bloke’s attention!”

“You have my attention,” Aaron said, a bit uncomfortable saying it aloud.

“But there’s someone else here who has more of it. Don’t worry, I’m not having a go. I’m just making it clear that I’m not second best.”

Aaron nodded, realizing what Frankie was trying to say. He was here as a friend, but nothing more. The night before was probably the last time Aaron was ever going to get to take him to bed. He did feel a bit disappointed at that. After all, he’d had fun with him, and he actually really did like Frankie.

Maybe they could have made it work, but he couldn’t get Robert off his mind. There was definitely something there. Even when they were arguing, Aaron could feel it. A spark. But more than that, he wanted to help Robert. One of the best things that had ever happened to Aaron was coming to terms with being gay. Before that, he had been so angry. He had noticed boys for a while, but it wasn’t until he met Adam that he couldn’t ignore it. Aaron’s first crush had lead him down a dark path of denial. He had tried to reject that part of him that had fallen for Adam. He could still remember the rage, fear, and complete despair that had burned inside of him.

And then he had moved on. It was a struggle, and he had done stupid things along the way, but each day was better. He had Jackson, who loved and supported him. There was Hazel, Jackson’s mum, who decided Aaron was good enough for her son. He had Adam, who swore to him that he’d never let Aaron’s sexuality affect their friendship. Chas had supported him. And Paddy - Paddy had been there from the start.

As far as Aaron could tell, no one besides him knew that Robert wasn’t straight. Well, there was Chrissie, but he didn’t think she’d be lining up to help Robert accept himself. Aaron had to be his Paddy. The same way Paddy had forced Aaron to confront his sexuality in the first place, that’s what he had to do for Robert now. Aaron had tried to kill himself rather than accept what he couldn’t change. Maybe Robert would never go to those extremes, but he was clearly angry about it. Aaron just hoped that his anger wouldn’t get away from him before he came to terms with who he was.

The older man actually looked happy at the moment. Aaron had a good view of the bar from his seat, and he could see Robert sitting there next to Victoria, with Diane leaning forward over the counter to talk to them. Aaron was near enough that he could hear a bit of their conversation.

“So am I forgiven for the forced family get together?” Diane asked Robert.

“Just this once.”

“That’s a shame, because it’s my job to keep doing it until I’ve knocked some sense into you and Andy!”

“And I’ll be helping her,” Vic added.

Across from Aaron, Frankie gave a nod toward the three Sugdens. “We can go sit with them if you like.”

“Why would I want to do that?” he asked, grabbing his pint and taking a sip.

“You’ve only been staring at him for the past five minutes!”

Aaron sat up a bit in his chair, glaring at Frankie. “Keep your voice down!”

“Fine,” the younger man muttered, leaning in closer over the table to keep their conversation private. “Look, earlier on the phone you told me that you want to make him come to terms with being gay, right? So, how are you going to do that sitting here staring at him? You’re not going to get very far like that! A bit like poor Finn isn’t going to get anywhere just by ogling me.”

“So what do you suggest?”

“Make him jealous!” Frankie said, like it was obvious. Aaron watched, surprised as the younger man jumped to his feet. His chair scraped hard against the floor as he abruptly stood, and then he was making off toward the toilets without a word of explanation.

Rather annoyed at the theatrics and the way everyone at the surrounding tables had turned to look at him, Aaron got up and hurried after the younger man. He followed Frankie to the toilets, where he found him waiting there with his arms crossed. “What’re you stomping about the place for like that?” he demanded.

“Trust me, I’m doing you a favor,” Frankie reassured him, coming to stand close. Puzzled but willing, Aaron let the younger man cuddle in close, settling into the way Frankie reached up to wrap his arms around Aaron’s neck. “Come here,” Frankie murmured. Aaron’s hands settled on his waist as the other man kissed him.

The sound of the door opening made Aaron try to pull back, but Frankie’s hands on his face kept him in place for another heartbeat before the younger man ended the kiss. “I see the two of you have made up,” Robert said from behind him.

Frankie fluttered his long lashes at Aaron, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “Call me,” he simpered, winking flirtatiously before walking past him. Aaron turned to follow him with his eyes, mystified. Until he saw Robert glaring at him. He didn’t miss the way the tall blond stood his ground, forcing Frankie to skirt around him in order to get out.

“Brilliant,” Robert said, smirking. “All the drama! One minute you’re having a row, and the next you’re snogging in the toilets. It’s like being back in school. Awkward doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

Aaron glared at him, but Robert ignored the look and headed for one of the cubicles. Storming out of the toilets, he hurried through the pub to catch up with Frankie outside. “Wait up!” he called out.

The younger man stopped and turned around. “What are you doing out here?” he asked, surprised.

“What was all that about inside?” Aaron demanded.

“You wanted to make him jealous, remember? So, I made him jealous. The better question is why are you out here with me instead of inside snogging him?”

“He wasn’t jealous! He was his usual arrogant self. All he did was make a snide comment before heading to the toilets,” Aaron explained, frustrated.

Frankie laughed, giving him a look as if he’d just said something adorably naive. It made Aaron scowl. “I’m sorry, but Robert was definitely jealous! Did you see how quickly he followed us? Didn’t want us to be alone together where he couldn’t keep an eye on you.” The younger man came forward and once again wrapped his arms around Aaron’s neck, giving him a soft kiss. “Go back in there,” Frankie urged him. “You’re completely gone over him. Just trust me, yeah? I’ve seen enough men eyeing each other at Bar West to recognize when it’s going to happen. You were right about Robert - he wants you, and it’s driving him mad! You told me you thought this was the best way to get him to accept himself, so go back in there and, you know…”

Aaron rolled his eyes when Frankie wagged his eyebrows suggestively. “You don’t think it’s weird that you’re the one giving me advice on how to get another bloke into bed?”

“Maybe a little,” Frankie acknowledged, finally letting go of Aaron and taking a step back. “Would it be too weird if I asked you for Finn’s number?”

Wrinkling up his nose and laughing, Aaron pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I still can’t believe you’re interested in Finn! He’s a bit boring, I’m just warning you.”

“Having drinks with him can’t be any more boring than sitting in a pub with you while you stare at Robert,” Frankie pointed out. “And maybe I want boring right now. You’re a little too interesting for me!”

Aaron gave him Finn’s number, and then headed back inside. There was no sight of Robert anywhere. It seemed as though Aaron had missed his chance. “So who was that?” Chas asked, catching his attention. He hadn’t even noticed that she’d come back out to finish her shift. “He left in a hurry!”

“Just a mate of mine,” Aaron told her, walking over to the bar.

“Don’t let him fool you!” Vic spoke up. Robert may have disappeared, but she was still seated on a stool, slowly nursing a drink.

“Do you know something?” Chas asked curiously, coming over to stand in front of Victoria. Aaron sighed, hanging his head as he resigned himself to the fact that Chas wasn’t going to let this go until she knew more about Frankie.

“They met for drinks, but I don’t think it went very well,” Vic said, giving Aaron a sympathetic look.

“It’s fine!” Aaron protested.

“So you’re still seeing him?” Chas asked. “Would this be the same lad you’ve been sneaking off to see all week?”

“Yes, alright? Is that it?”

“Er, no!” she exclaimed. “You’ve barely told me anything!”

“Well, you haven’t really asked me anything,” Aaron pointed out.

“Right, so what’s his name?” she asked. “How long have you been seeing him, and is it serious?”

“Frankie, a few days, and no. Are we done here?” he demanded, raising his eyebrows at her.

Chas nodded reluctantly. “For now,” she agreed. Relieved, he stepped back from the counter and made his way around the bar so he could go through to the back. He actually wasn’t upset with Chas for asking questions, but he knew that soon enough she’d be nagging him about introducing her to Frankie. Although the younger man had agreed to meet him at the Woolie to help Aaron in his efforts to get Robert to face his sexuality, he really didn’t think Frankie would be willing to meet his mum just to get her off his case.

Aaron went through to the back and closed the door on the noise coming from the busy pub. He started to walk through the living room to get to the stairwell when he spotted Robert sitting on the sofa. The blond got to his feet, turning to face him. “You can’t just come in whenever you feel like it,” Aaron told him as Robert walked over.

“Diane said it was fine,” the blond said, giving a careless shrug as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers. “I told her I wanted to talk to you.”

Aaron gave him an expectant look when he didn’t say anything else. “So? Are you actually going to say anything?”

Robert took a half step closer, expression unexpectedly earnest. “Look, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday.”

“Alright?”

“I shouldn’t have called you like that. What happened yesterday… it was a mistake. I was cut up about Chrissie dumping me, and I overreacted.”

Aaron nodded, biting his lip as he tried to hold back his frustration. “So when you said it was a mistake, what part did you mean? The part where you called me on my day off to waste my time, or the part where you kissed me?”

“Both,” Robert answered, tone firm. “Like I said, it was a mistake. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“You got that right!”

The older man rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m trying to apologize, but if you don’t want to hear it, then let me just make one thing perfectly clear. It meant nothing, and I want to be with Chrissie.”

“Yeah, and how’s that going to work?” Aaron asked him, feeling bad for him. Not because of Chrissie, but because he was so far in the closet that he was trying to backtrack and pretend like the kiss had never happened. “Or have you forgotten that she dumped you? She doesn’t want you, mate.”

“I’m meeting her tomorrow,” Robert explained. “All of this was a huge misunderstanding! It happened because I got drunk, and I said some things but I didn’t mean any of it. Chrissie will see that.”

“So that’s what this is - you’re trying to get back with your bird, and you want to pretend like nothing happened.”

“Because nothing _did_ happen,” Robert pressed, pulling his hands from his pockets so he could clench his fists. Aaron read the threat in his stance, in the way Robert leaned in close, voice low and tight as he said, “So don’t even think about trying to tell her that we had anything, because we didn’t!”

Aaron lashed out, hands clenching into the lapels of Robert’s Italian leather jacket and shoving him backwards until his back slammed against the living room door that lead to the stairwell. “You want to try it on with a man, you do it away from home next time, alright. I don’t need someone like you trying to mess me about!”

“I’m the one messing you about? So what was that with Frankie?” Robert demanded, breath coming quickly as Aaron pressed him hard against the door. “Trying to rub my nose in it, were you?”

Frankie had been right. Robert had gone after them in the toilets because he was jealous. Unable to help the satisfied smile from quirking his lips, Aaron stared straight into Robert’s blue green eyes. “Why? Jealous were you?” he challenged.

Robert’s hands were on his face, pulling him in close as the blond kissed him fiercely. Those full lips were possessive and demanding, warm and wet, messy and wild. Moaning, Aaron pinned him tightly to the door, hands scrambling to pull the leather jacket off of those broad shoulders. He got it off and tossed it aside, hands sliding up under Robert’s soft jumper to trace along his ribs. Strong hands cradled Aaron’s face, thumbs stroking his cheeks. He wanted to breathe the other man in, but eventually they had to part so both of them could gasp for air.

He felt his blood stirring as Robert stared at him from just an inch away. He saw the way the other man’s eyes dropped down to his lips. When they met Aaron’s gaze again, they were filled with need. Robert swallowed hard, breathless as he said, “Right. Upstairs. Now.”

It was inevitable. They had both tried to fight the attraction between them, but they still ended up here, opening the door to the stairwell and running up to Aaron’s room. He felt like a magnet being drawn to its North Pole, gravitating toward Robert as soon as the bedroom door was slammed shut so he could wrap himself around him. He pulled at the other man’s clothing, eager to feel warm skin against his own. Aaron wanted to explore every inch of flesh he uncovered, but he was impatient. He was hungry for the other man, hands sliding over him, gripping him tight. Robert was no better, tugging at Aaron’s clothing so roughly that he heard seams tear when his t-shirt was pulled up over his head.

The feverish pace slowed only once they were naked in bed. They laid down side by side, facing each other, lips locked together like their lives depended on it. He couldn’t get enough of Robert’s tongue in his mouth, and how it expertly curled around his own. He liked the way the older man cradled his head with one hand, supporting his neck as they kissed. The other hand slipped down Aaron’s body until those long fingers wrapped around his cock and started to tug at him. His toes curled under when Robert brushed his thumb over the tip, and his breath caught when the blond leaned in to suck at Aaron’s lower lip, drawing it into his own mouth and gently biting at it.

It was good - so good! - but he wanted more. He wanted to feel Robert, so he rolled them over until he was on top and kissed him hard before moving down his body. Aaron licked and teased his way down, peppering him with gentle kisses and playful bites. The moans coming from the blond keyed him up, but the feel of his big hands impatiently pushing Aaron lower was the last straw. He could feel his own cock, hot and rigid with desire as Robert guided Aaron down until he was laying between his thighs, face even with his groin. The sight of him hard and already leaking was enough to drive a man wild. He wrapped his left arm around Robert’s leg, rubbing his scruffy chin gently along the inner thigh. He liked how responsive the other man was; how he gasped as Aaron tickled the tender skin there; how he reached down to stroke fingers through Aaron’s hair when he laid soft kisses in the hollow of his thigh, where his leg met his groin. Robert had fought this so hard, but now that they were in bed, he was completely unashamed, not even trying to hide his reactions.

Aaron kept his arm wrapped around Robert’s leg and took him in hand. He gazed up the long line of that body to find the blond looking down at him. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes darkened, pupils blown wide. Their eyes were locked on each other as Aaron slipped his mouth over him. Robert was thick and warm in Aaron’s mouth. The taste of his precum was sweet, making Aaron moan around him as it coated his tongue. Robert’s hips twitched as Aaron moaned, and he bit back a cry as he struggled to hold still. Aaron’s left arm was still wrapped around Robert’s thick thigh, and he could feel the muscles tremble as the other man tried not to thrust into his mouth.

Deciding he’d teased him enough, Aaron began bobbing his head, tongue sliding along the underside of Robert’s cock every time he came up. He kept up the rhythm for a minute before letting him slip from his mouth. The frustrated groan that escaped the blond made Aaron shiver with need. He spread Robert wide, getting the older man to lift his legs and grab onto his knees so that Aaron had better access to him. Once he did, Aaron spared only a moment to look at him, trying to commit the image of Robert like this to memory. Then he was parting his cheeks and dipping his face down to lave that tight pink hole with his tongue.

“Mm,” Robert moaned, encouraging him. Not that Aaron really needed more encouragement. He focused on what he was doing, on each lick and thrust of his tongue, to distract himself from his own body’s aching need. He wanted to fall on Robert and thrust into him until he came. Instead, he took his time, getting his pleasure from each gasp and groan he coaxed from the man. When he thought Robert was ready for more, Aaron sat up in bed and reached for his bedside table where he kept his lube and condoms.

He took care as he prepared Robert, using liberal amounts of lube to help the slide of his fingers into the other man. He wanted to make this memorable for all the right reasons. He wanted Robert to leave here tomorrow morning thinking about how good it had been. Maybe if it was good enough, he wouldn’t go back to trying to ignore this again. So Aaron slid first one finger in, working the other man loose enough for a second finger. He scissored them, making room for a third finger.

Robert was writhing against the sheets. He’d let go of his knees at some point, heels digging into the mattress as he tried to find leverage to thrust down onto Aaron’s fingers. He watched the blond come apart. Sweat made his skin gleam and his hair darken around his face. When he was ready, Aaron removed his fingers and crawled up the other man’s body, capturing his mouth in a rough kiss while he grabbed Robert’s hand. He guided it down between their bodies and wrapped Robert’s fingers around his cock. The feel of that hand squeezing around him made Aaron pull back from the kiss, eyelids fluttering. He reached up and gripped a handful of blond hair, holding the other man’s face close to his own so he could press their foreheads together.

They were breathing harshly into one another. Aaron gave the other man’s hair a tug, making his eyes snap open and focus on him. “I want you,” Aaron breathed, voice gruff. He gasped when Robert gave him a deliciously long tug, and had to reach down to stop him. “I want you on me,” he said, before indulging in one more kiss. “Like you said in the video.”

Robert stilled under him. For a moment Aaron wondered if he’d messed up by mentioning that stupid video, which had caused them both nothing but trouble. Then he was suddenly on his back, the blond holding him down with hands to his wrists. Robert’s body pressed down heavily on him, using his weight to keep Aaron in place. “I want you to watch me. I’m going to sit on your big, hard cock,” Robert promised, whispering into his ear. “I’m going to ride you. It’s going to feel so good, you’re never going to want your little toy boy again.” Aaron shuddered, unbelievably turned on by those words. Robert let go of one of his wrists so he could grip Aaron’s chin in his hand, holding him in place for an angry kiss. “You’re going to be screaming my name.”

“All talk,” Aaron gasped, enjoying the bruising pain of Robert’s fingers gripping his chin too tightly.

Robert pushed up, straddling his waist. Aaron reached out to him, running his hands along the blond’s thighs as he reached for a condom and quickly unwrapped it. He admired Robert’s long fingers as he rolled the condom onto Aaron, fantasizing about what it’d feel like to have those fingers inside of him and rubbing against that sweet spot. But that’s not what Aaron was getting tonight. He was getting Robert on top of him, reaching back to line up as he lowered himself onto Aaron’s cock. The other man was tight and hot around the tip of him. Aaron bit his lip, fingers digging into Robert’s thighs as he worked himself down.

“Tight!” Aaron moaned, unable to help himself. He was panting as he struggled to hold his hips still so he wouldn’t hurt the other man.

“That’s not my name,” Robert joked, voice strained. He looked so hot like that, kneeling over Aaron, hand reaching back to hold Aaron in place as he lowered himself by teasing increments. “You better get it right later. I want you screaming it.”

“Ugh, fuck me!” he swore, still only part way inside the other man.

“That’s the idea.”

“For fucks’s sake, Robert, shut up and fuck me already!” he burst out, feeling half delirious. How could Robert still be this tight after all the work Aaron had put into opening him up? He should have known he’d be a tight arse in more ways than one.

Aaron’s hips twitched, giving a small thrust upwards before he managed to stop himself. Robert gasped, eyes sweeping shut as Aaron unintentionally brushed against his prostate. It sent the blond slamming down, impaling himself, mouth hanging open as his breath caught like it felt too good for words. Unable to help himself anymore, Aaron moved his hips as best he could while he was trapped under Robert. His shallow thrusts made the blond’s head fall back so Aaron got a good look at his pale throat.

He’d almost decided to flip them over so he could take over when Robert finally started moving over him. Aaron moaned at the sight of his face, which had gone slack as he mindlessly chased his own pleasure. Robert bounced on top of him, cries tearing from his throat every time Aaron’s cock slid against his prostate. “Mm, yes, take it,” Aaron hissed, completely disarmed by the other man’s lack of inhibition.

Robert leaned forward, propping his weight on his hands. Aaron felt his chest squeezing tight as their eyes met and the older man called out his name. He gripped Robert’s rounded arse in his hands as the man rode him hard. He could feel the pressure building inside of him, and he knew if they didn’t slow the pace he wasn’t going to last. “R-Rob,” he moaned, hardly sounding like himself. He moved his hands from Robert’s backside to his hips, trying to slow him down. Instead, he found his wrists captured beneath Robert’s hands again, pressed down tight on the mattress as the other man sped up.

“Almost, almost!” Robert breathed into Aaron’s face. “Yes, yes, there, right there!” he hissed, and then he was sitting up, hips bucking erratically as he drove himself onto Aaron’s cock over and over, one hand milking his own hardness as he came. The combination of seeing Robert bring himself and feeling the overwhelming tightness as Robert’s inner walls clenched around him was all it took. Aaron was screaming and grinding as he came, flipping them over so he could bury himself all the way in.

He didn’t really remember rolling off of Robert to lay beside him, but when he was finished riding the high, he found himself staring up at the ceiling while he panted. Glancing over at the other man, he saw him sprawled out, limbs loose and relaxed as he caught his breath. Aaron sat up so he could take off the used condom and tie it off. “Alright?” he asked as he leaned over the side of the bed to discard it in the dustbin.

“Yeah,” Robert said, still staring up at the ceiling as Aaron laid back down. “I think I heard my name somewhere in there when you were shouting.”

“Can’t remember,” he admitted. He’d been so caught up, he could have been screaming _God Save the Queen_ and not have noticed. “Guess I’ll have to pay more attention next time.”

“Already making plans for a next time? I guess that means you’re impressed,” Robert laughed.

Aaron didn’t mind if he sounded eager. The endorphins were racing through his system, and he was feeling too good to care about very much at the moment. “It was alright,” he teased.

Robert rolled onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow so he could see Aaron’s face. “Admit it, you’re impressed!”

He gave a shrug, then put aside the act when Robert leaned in to kiss him, one hand resting on Aaron’s waist for balance. He was definitely impressed when the older man slipped one leg between Aaron’s in a clear sign that he was ready to continue. Robert nibbled at his neck, which made him bite at lips that were bruised and tender from all the snogging and lip biting he’d done tonight. Aaron could feel himself stirring, but it would be a few minutes yet before he’d harden again. Still, there was no reason why they couldn’t enjoy themselves while he recovered.

He sighed as Robert began exploring his body, his movements slow and unhurried. With the first rush of urgency nicely taken care of, it seemed like the second round would be languid and gentle in comparison.

Robert nipped sharply at his nipple, making Aaron gasp at the unexpectedness. Okay, maybe not so gentle after all. He settled back against the mattress, shivering as he watched Robert lick his way down Aaron’s abs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the smut and that it was worth the wait for those of you dying after 9 dry chapters =D
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated!
> 
> Chapter 11 will be posted sometime next week. I'm eager to get some forward movement in the plot, so it may be a long chapter. I guess you'll have to wait and see ;) Thank you all so very much for continuing to read!


	11. Chapter 11

**9 December 2014  
Tuesday**

He woke with hair tickling his nose. Aaron scrunched his face up before letting his eyes open. He found himself wrapped around Robert, spooning him, his face buried in thick blond hair. Gently easing back, he untangled their limbs so he could roll onto his back and stretch out his body. He laid there with his right arm tucked under his head, and his left hand on his belly. He had his face turned toward Robert, who was curled up facing away from him. Aaron watched those broad shoulders move with each breath the other man took, and couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke the back of his fingers along the line of Robert’s spine. He traced a path along the freckles there. They were small details he hadn’t had a chance to notice the night before.

He could stay in bed watching Robert sleep, but he figured it might be a bit creepy. Also, the longer he laid there, the more he noticed how grubby he felt. He could taste his own morning breath. Aaron grimaced when he pulled his hand away from Robert’s back to rest it on his belly again, only to encounter dried cum that must have landed there the night before. It was sexy at the time, but now it made him feel all crusty. Yawning, he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He didn’t sit that way long, feeling the discomfort in his arse. It had been quite some time since he’d let anyone do more than simply rim him. Some men had a preference on whether they liked to top or bottom, but Aaron liked whatever felt good - as long as he was with the right person. When he was going home with a bloke for a single night of fun, he never felt comfortable bottoming. For him, part of the appeal of letting a man get inside of him that way was that it was an act of trust. Only Jackson and Ed had earned that trust. Aaron had been so tempted to ask Robert... but he just wasn’t there yet. They had butted heads too often for him to lay himself bare in that way.

Still, he’d been unwilling to pass up the chance to have Robert’s long fingers inside of him. Aaron couldn’t help the smile that tugged on his lips as he got out of bed and put on his bathrobe. He left the bedroom with one last glance at Robert, catching sight of his face. His expression was relaxed, making him look younger somehow. Aaron closed the door and made his way to the bathroom. He shrugged off his robe, hanging it on the back of the door before getting in the shower.

He was quick to wash up, in case Robert woke up soon. Aaron only lingered as he washed his backside, fingers sliding along his crack. His eyes fluttered shut, and he raised his face toward the spray while he explored himself. Water washed over his face, and then he dropped his head back, taking a deep breath as he pressed the very tip of his finger inside. There was too much water for him to press any deeper, but he used just the tip to tease the tight muscles while he thought about the night before.

 

*****

 

**8 December 2014  
Monday**

Robert took his time with Aaron, kissing his way down his torso. Of course he found the scars. There were too many of them to go unnoticed. Robert ran his hand over them before glancing up at him, wordlessly asking questions. Aaron shook his head, biting his lip when Robert lowered his face to gently kiss the worst of the marks. He drifted lower, licking his way down to Aaron’s cock. It was too soon after the first round for him to be hard. Robert took his soft length into his mouth, making Aaron moan. His cock twitched as his blood flooded down, and Aaron knew he wouldn’t be soft for much longer.

He grew as he slowly hardened, and Robert eventually had to ease up off of him so he wouldn’t choke. The blond held him with one hand, sucking on the tip while his other hand began massaging his balls. Aaron was starting to pant, the wet heat of that mouth on him driving him mad. Even so, it was those long fingers playing with his balls that caught his attention, making him shudder with need. “R-Robert,” he stuttered, gasping when the blond ran his tongue along the underside of his cock. Aaron’s arms swept out across the mattress, hands searching until his left bumped against the bottle of lube. He wrapped his fingers around it and passed it down to Robert, who rose up off of his cock. “I want your fingers,” Aaron panted. “Inside of me.”

Letting go of him, Robert sat up between Aaron’s legs and grabbed the bottle from him. He flipped the cap and squirted some onto the fingers of his right hand. Setting the bottle aside, he shuffled closer, then hiked up one of Aaron’s legs to rest it over his shoulder. Aaron let the other leg fall open, giving the blond better access. Robert’s fingers flirted around his entrance, pressing against him without entering him. The older man looked down at him, a cocky smile on his face as Aaron twitched and gasped beneath him.

“Tell me what you want,” Robert ordered him, fingers gliding across soft skin, trailing up until he was stroking Aaron’s balls. He gave them a squeeze, stealing Aaron’s breath away. “Tell me how you want me.”

“I already did,” Aaron gasped.

“Tell me _exactly_ what you want,” Robert said. His slick fingers traced back toward Aaron’s hole, but he stopped short, filling Aaron with frustration.

“Your fingers!” Aaron demanded, hips bucking.

“Like this?” Robert asked, using just the tip of one finger, massaging the muscles, loosening them up.

Finally catching on to the game Robert was playing, Aaron nodded. He looked up at the blond, meeting his heated gaze as he said, “Deeper.”

Robert’s breath caught in his throat, and Aaron shivered as the older man watched him hungrily. “Like this?” Robert asked again, pushing his finger deeper. Aaron fought his body’s natural reaction to reject the intrusion, forcing himself to relax.

“Yes,” Aaron breathed, eyes squeezing shut. The hand Robert was using to hold Aaron’s leg in place over his shoulder gave him a sharp slap on the thigh, demanding Aaron’s attention. Their eyes caught and held, and he thrust his hips. “Move,” he groaned. “Please!”

That finger began to move, sliding in and out, working him loose. “Tell me,” Robert reminded him after Aaron had time to adjust.

“Another.” A second long finger joined the first, and he gritted his teeth as he felt a slight burn. Aaron held his breath, waiting for them to move before he remembered the game. “Fuck, move them already!”

“You like that?” Robert asked, sliding his fingers in and out. Aaron shook his head, frustrated. “No?” Robert teased him, his free hand stroking Aaron’s thigh soothingly. “How about… this?”

“Yes!” Aaron shouted, gasping when those long fingers flicked gently against his sweet spot. “Don’t stop,” he begged, feeling everything below his waist loosen up deliciously, as if the other man had pressed a magic button. He kind of had. “Please, don’t stop.”

“You like that, baby?” Robert murmured. “Tell me how much you like it.”

“S-so much,” he promised, hands clenching the sheets. “Harder!” Those fingers stopped the delicate flickering touch, instead pressing down firmly against Aaron’s prostate and beginning to rub it rhythmically. He felt the muscles deep inside of him start twitching, and he threw his head back, moaning. Suddenly Robert paused, and Aaron knew he was being toyed with. “Robert, I swear to god if you stop…”

Laughing, the older man once again started to rub his fingers against Aaron’s sweet spot. Robert laid kisses to Aaron’s knee, where it hooked over one of those broad shoulders, wordlessly asking forgiveness. Aaron would forgive anything right now. He could feel the moment building until he was trembling on the cusp of it. Robert’s fingers brushed over him one more time, and suddenly Aaron was crying out, wave after wave flooding his body with pleasure.

He barely felt it when Robert pushed his leg off his shoulder. The older man leaned over him so he could capture Aaron’s lips in a hungry kiss, one big hand wrapping around both of their erections and beginning to jerk them off together. That wasn’t how Aaron wanted to end, though, and he rolled them over until he was on top. He searched the bed for the box of condoms and found it teetering on the edge of the mattress. Aaron grabbed it and pulled one out, tearing the foil open and rolling it on as he looked down at the blond. He couldn’t help the low moan that escaped him when he saw Robert laid out on the mattress, long legs spread as he waited for Aaron.

Crawling over the older man, he lined himself up and pushed inside. Aaron didn’t bother to go slow, trusting that Robert was still loose from earlier. He took the time to position himself just right, and then he began to move, hips thrusting. Robert’s legs wrapped around his waist, trapping him as Aaron pumped into him. He knew he had the angle right by the way Robert was bucking underneath him, crying out every time Aaron pushed into him. The blond was red-faced and sweating, completely lost in the moment. All of his arrogance was gone, brushed aside as they connected in the most primal of ways. Even with all they had done earlier, Aaron still felt how tight Robert was. He knew he should try and be gentle, but it was impossible with the way the blond was urging him on, wrapping his limbs around Aaron and clinging to him.

Suddenly Robert was writhing beneath him, shouting out. Aaron quickened his pace, snaking one hand between their bodies to grab hold of Robert’s cock to jerk him off until he was coming. Aaron felt his own balls tightening, and when he came, white hot pleasure seared through him. Robert held onto him as Aaron’s brain completely shorted out, keeping him anchored. His trembling arms couldn’t keep him up anymore, and he lowered himself onto Robert, their sweaty chests pressing together.

Once he caught his breath, it was all he could do to slide off the other man and remove the condom. He fell down onto the mattress next to the blond. Every inch of his body felt good, relaxed and well loved. Aaron glanced over at Robert to make sure he was alright. He needn’t have worried. Robert was getting under the sheets, making himself comfortable, and then holding them up so Aaron could get under them as well. It felt too intimate to cuddle, so he kept his distance. But when he felt one of Robert’s feet press against his, he didn’t bother to move. That’s how they nodded off - with a foot of space between them while they played footsie in their sleep.

 

*****

 

**9 December 2014  
Tuesday**

Aaron came in the shower to the memory of Robert’s fingers deep inside of him. He leaned his shoulder against the slick, cool tile as warm water washed away his cum. After a moment, he stood upright and gave himself one last scrub before getting out. He was quick to dry off and head for his bedroom, where he found Robert still asleep. After getting dressed, he debated on whether he should wake him up. It was early yet, so he decided to leave it for a little longer. If Robert had to be somewhere, there would still be plenty of time to get ready. Aaron left him in bed and went downstairs for his breakfast.

“Morning!” Chas greeted him cheerily when she heard him run down the stairs. He could smell fresh eggs and bacon as he walked in.

“What’s with you?” he asked, eyeing her suspiciously when he came into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Chas didn’t normally wake up early to cook.

“Can’t I treat my son to a full English breakfast if I want to?” she asked, smiling at him.

He frowned at her. “Right, what’s going on? You’re acting weird. Is something going on between you and James?”

“Nooo,” she said slowly, setting down a plate in front of him. She took a seat beside him, so excited she was practically bouncing on her chair. Aaron raised his eyebrows at her, waiting for her to say something. “I couldn’t help but notice you had a guest over.” She put her hands up, as if trying to stop him from saying anything. “I’m just happy for you, is all! I thought it might be nice to bring him down. You know, for some brekkie.”

“So you can interrogate him, you mean,” Aaron said, crossing his arms. Of course she had no idea who was really laying in his bed right now. He had a feeling that if she knew it was Robert Sugden up there, she wouldn’t have happily cooked him breakfast. No, she’d be up there trying to drag him from the bed so she could kick him out. The few times he had seen Chas talk to Robert, it was in the pub with Katie sitting nearby. Neither of them seemed to have a very high opinion of the man, and Aaron was sure his mum would be happy if he were with almost anyone else in the world. “You weren’t nosing about my room were you? Trying to spy on me?” he asked her.

“No!” she protested. Getting to her feet, she walked over to the sofa. Robert’s leather jacket was draped neatly over the back of it. He watched Chas pick it up and walk back to her seat as she said, “I found this on the floor by the sofa. I know it’s not yours, so I figured that lad you invited over for drinks must have come back. Frankie, wasn’t it?”

“Er, yeah. Look, I don’t think he’s going to want a fuss made over him. And I don’t even know if it’s going anywhere, so can we please not do this?” he asked.

Her excited smile began to fade. “I won’t bite!” she promised. “I just want to meet him.”

He rolled his eyes and said, “You saw him last night.”

“Yeah, I saw him walking out. That’s not the same thing as meeting him. Oh, come on, have a heart!” she said, clasping her hands together in front of her as she begged.

Aaron got to his feet, taking the leather jacket from his mum’s lap and then grabbing the plate that she had put down on the table in front of him. “No, it’s just going to get weird. If things go well, I’ll bring him round proper and you can ask him all the questions you like.”

“Where are you going with that?” she asked as he headed for the door.

“I’m taking it upstairs so he doesn’t have to eat with you staring at him.” He hid a smile when she gave a big sigh, clearly put out that her plans of meeting Frankie had just been struck down. He went up to his bedroom, and when he opened the door he found Robert awake and getting dressed. He got to watch the blond pull his jeans up over his bum before Robert turned to face the door.

“Sorry I was gone when you woke up,” Aaron said as Robert zipped up his fly. He held out the plate to him. “This is for you.”

Robert glanced at the food, then gave Aaron an incredulous look. “Did you seriously just make me breakfast in bed?”

“What? No.”

Robert gave the plate a pointed look. “I don’t know what you think last night meant, but I don’t want any romantic gestures, thanks.”

“Get over yourself,” Aaron told him, walking past Robert and setting the plate on the bed. “If you don’t eat it, I will. My mum cooked it. You should be glad it was me who brought it up here for you, and not her!”

“What, you told Chas about me?” Robert demanded sharply. His blond hair was all over the place, and his eyes were a bit puffy from sleep. Aaron had never seen the older man look sexier, but he was ruining it - as usual - by being irritating.

“She thinks you’re Frankie, you prat!” Aaron yelled, then remembered his mum was downstairs and might hear him. Standing close to the blond, he said, “Give me some credit. I’m not stupid, you know.”

“Whatever,” Robert said, heading for the door.

Aaron grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Leaving!”

“Right, and you don’t think my mum is down there right now, waiting to meet Frankie?”

“So what, I’m just supposed to stay here all day? Chrissie’s expecting me in an hour.”

Aaron stared at him. Of course he remembered Robert telling him last night that he was going to try and win Chrissie over, but that was before they had fallen into bed with each other. “Please tell me you’re not still going to try and convince her to take you back.”

“She’s my fiancee. Of course I want her back!”

Scoffing, he shook his head and ran his hand over his beard. “So what was last night about? Why sleep with me if you love Chrissie so much? You don’t go to bed with someone else when you’re trying to win back the person you love!”

“Yeah, and what would you even know about it?” Robert asked defensively.

“You think I’ve never been in love before?” Aaron asked him. “When I had Jackson, I would never have cheated on him. I was with Ed, and I didn’t sleep around when we started having problems.”

“I didn’t cheat on Chrissie.”

“So what do you call what we did last night? Because I think she’d have a very different opinion if she knew what we’d done.”

“Is that a threat?” Robert asked furiously.

“No, that’s the truth.”

They glared at each other for a handful of seconds before Robert backed down, looking away as if finding it difficult to hold Aaron’s gaze. “Last night wasn’t meant to happen,” he said, sounding almost apologetic. “I didn’t come round here intending to sleep with you, alright? And technically it’s not cheating. Chrissie broke off the engagement, so we’re not even together right now.”

Aaron shook his head, lips pressed tightly together as he struggled to contain his disappointment and anger. “That’s just words, Robert. She may have broken off the engagement, but you don’t sleep with someone else unless it’s already over in here,” he said, thumping his hand on his chest, over his heart. It was clear that he’d pushed too hard - again. Just like the night Robert walked out on him after they watched the video together, the blond was once again running rather than facing the heat. He grabbed his jacket from Aaron, who had forgotten he was still holding it. “My mum will see you if you go now!”

“I’ll take my chances,” the older man said. “And just so we’re clear, this was a one off. I’m in love with Chrissie, and I’m going to marry her.” With that, he was headed out the door, leaving Aaron to stand alone.

 

*****

 

He wasn’t in the best of moods when he left for work, and he was in a worse mood when it was finally time to close up for the day. “Where do you think you’re off to?” he asked Dan as the older man headed out.

“You can close up on your own, thanks! It’s the least you can do for snapping at me all day.” Aaron watched in frustration as Dan hurried away. He would have tried harder to stop him if the other man hadn’t been right. He had let the morning’s events affect him, and it had made him harsh with the customers and even harsher with Dan. Anyway, having him there would only have irritated Aaron further. It was better if he was alone at the moment.

Aaron sighed when he heard his phone ringing. He pulled it from his pocket and accepted the call when he saw who it was. “Frankie?” he said when he answered.

“Hiya.”

The younger man's voice sounded tired and worried over the line. Apparently, Aaron wasn’t the only one having an off day. “Everything alright?” he asked, frowning when a long pause followed his question.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Frankie finally said. “I just wanted to hear about what happened last night! Did you get your man?”

“That’s really why you called me?”

“Yes and no,” Frankie said, giving a small laugh. “You can’t avoid the question. Please tell me Robert has finally come to his senses!”

“Yes and no,” Aaron copied him.

“What does that mean?”

“I could ask you the same.”

“You first, then me,” Frankie told him, voice firm. “What happened with Robert after I left? I take it he didn’t come to any life altering realizations about his sexuality after you got him jealous?”

“Er, no,” Aaron said, rubbing at his eyes with his left hand while he held his mobile in the other. “He was waiting for me at home when I went back, then he freaked out this morning. He told me it was a one off and he still loved Chrissie. Wants to try and make it right with her.”

“Well that stinks.”

“Yeah, that about covers it,” Aaron said. “So much for my great plan to get him to accept who he is! He’s still as much in denial as he was before last night happened.”

“Does he not get how crazy that is?” Frankie wondered. “How can he sleep with a bloke and then go back to his fiancee like it never happened?”

Aaron shrugged. “He’s in denial, isn’t he? That’s how denial works. You ignore as much as you can, even when it’s staring you in the face.”

“I’m guessing there’s a story there,” Frankie commented.

“Yeah, but it’s not worth getting into right now,” Aaron told him, looking around at the quiet garage where he’d tried to end his life years ago. “Anyway, are you going to tell me why you were so off when I answered the phone? Don’t tell me you got an ear-bashing at work! After you cleaned up the toilets last night and everything!” Aaron teased.

“Nice.”

“Well, are you going to tell me about it, or shall I keep guessing?”

“My dad called.”

“Your dad who you hate,” Aaron said, remembering his first conversation with Frankie.

“Exactly. He’s not even supposed to have my number! I’m sitting here trying to figure out how he got my information.”

Aaron frowned, realizing the younger man was really upset. “Can’t you just block his calls?”

“Yeah, but… if he’s got my number, maybe he knows where I live.”

“Hang on,” Aaron said, really concerned now. “I know you said he had a drinking problem when you were growing up, but is he dangerous?”

“I don’t talk to him for a reason,” Frankie told him. “Look, remember when I told you that your temper was a problem for me?”

Aaron cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable. “Course. That’s when you said about your dad drinking and everything.”

“He used to hit me and my mum,” Frankie stated.

“What? That’s terrible!” Aaron said. He found it frighteningly easy to picture Frankie as a small child, cowering before his dad, the person who was supposed to protect him. He began pacing the garage, trying to release the tension that was suddenly filling him.

“It was only ever when he’d been drinking. It didn’t happen very often at first. Then he got really unhappy at work, because people with less experience kept getting promoted before him. It was me coming out as gay that brought him to the breaking point. It made everything worse.” Aaron could hear the younger man’s voice quavering, and he unthinkingly reacted. He kicked at the closest thing to him. It was the creeper he used when working under cars, and the force of his kick sent it skittering across the garage. It slammed into a toolbox that had been left on the floor near one of the cars, the sound of metal clanging loudly. “What was that?” Frankie asked. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, just ignore it,” Aaron said, running his hand through his hair as he struggled to keep his anger in. He knew Frankie wouldn’t react well if he let his temper loose - and it was no wonder why! The lad’s own father used to beat him! It made Aaron want to find him and kill him. Any man who could do something like that to his own son deserved to be punished. “What about your mum?” he asked, wondering what she’d done to protect him.

“She isn’t with him any more, thank God,” Frankie said, apparently not understanding what Aaron was trying to ask him. “She left right after I did. I moved out when I was eighteen and got a restraining order.”

“So you went to the police,” Aaron said, finding himself surprised by that.

“I don’t think I’d be here now if I hadn’t. After I came out, he went completely off the rails. I ended up in hospital with a broken arm, and I knew I couldn’t go back home. The last time I saw my dad, he was threatening to kill me if I told the doctors how I got hurt. I figured he might kill me anyway, even if I covered up for him, so I called the police and told them everything. I got the restraining order while he was waiting for his court date. Last I heard he was serving a two year sentence.” Aaron could hear Frankie draw in a shaky breath before letting it back out. “I guess two years is up.”

“But the restraining order is still good, isn’t it?” Aaron asked. “Have you reported the phone call to the police?”

“Of course, but all they can do right now is give him a warning! I’m scared, Aaron,” the younger man admitted. “What if he comes after me?” All Aaron could do was shake his head, even though Frankie couldn’t see it. He felt completely useless, not knowing what to do or say that would help. “I hate to ask, but do you mind hanging out at Bar West with me? My shift starts in a few minutes. I’m fine right now, but I could really use someone to walk me home later. I’ll treat you when you get here, whatever you want. It’s on the house.”

“You don’t have to bribe me, you know,” Aaron said. “Alright if I’m there in a couple hours or so?”

“Yeah, that sounds great. And thank you for doing this. I know it’s a lot to ask, and I did try a couple other mates before I called you. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Look, don’t worry about it. I’ll be there soon.”

Aaron ended the call, but it wasn’t so easy to cut off the dark mood that had settled over him. It was like a heavy cluster of rage and loathing in the pit of his stomach, and he didn’t know how to make it go away. He couldn’t help but feel for Frankie. Aaron knew better than most what that kind of upbringing must have done to the lad. He knew how it felt to love your parents, and try so hard to impress them so that they’d love you back. He knew how it felt to try so hard and to fail; to get abandoned when you wanted attention; to get pain and punishment when you needed protection. There were too many similarities in their pasts, and yet he couldn’t help but see how different he and Frankie were. Growing up, Aaron had never handled things well. He’d lashed out at everyone who tried to get close. When he couldn’t chase them away, he’d turned on himself, using self-harm as a way of coping. Frankie was different. He was strong. He’d gone to the police and gotten justice for himself. Even though he was scared about what might happen next, he’d reached out to Aaron and told him about his past.

Frankie had done everything that Aaron knew he could never bring himself to do. Maybe when he first came back to Emmerdale, there had been a part of him that wanted to tell Chas about Gordon. In the end, he’d never said anything because he was dead certain she wouldn’t have believed him. And if she had, then he worried she would blame herself. He’d bottled it, and tried to forget about his life before Emmerdale. He did his best to never think about it. Going to the police and reporting it had never been a consideration. He had no idea what it must have been like for Frankie, to watch his father get sent down, and to have everyone he knew aware of what he’d had to endure.

Aaron closed up the garage, his thoughts running a mile a minute as he made his way to the Woolpack. He was so lost in his own head that he didn’t notice Victoria until they met at the entrance. She was on her way in to start her shift, so he pulled the door open for her. Instead of going in, she paused in front of him and said, “Hiya! Are you alright?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”

“Alright, no need to bite my head off!” she told him. They had been mates for a long time, and although she protested his gruff tone, she didn’t look the least bit ruffled. Vic cocked her head to the side as she peered up at him and asked, “Say, you haven’t seen my brother, have you?”

“Which one?” he asked, although he could guess.

“Robert.” Vic sighed when he just shrugged. “He was supposed to meet Chrissie today, and I wanted to ask him how it went.”

“You could just call him,” Aaron pointed out reasonably.

“Oh, thank you for that! I’d never have thought of that on my own!”

“Glad I could help,” he said, giving her a nod and starting to walk through the door he was still holding open for her. Predictably, she reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.

“I’ve called him about a dozen times! He’s not answered all day.”

“So just ask him about it when he comes back to yours. And anyway, why are you so interested? I didn’t know you were so keen for them to get back together.”

“Well, I’m not. I mean, Chrissie’s alright,” she rushed to say, wringing her hands worriedly. “It’s just… well, he didn’t come home last night, and I don’t think he was with her.”

Aaron bit his lip. He knew he should probably just let it go. He needed to end the conversation, get in his car, and drive to Hotten. Only… Frankie wouldn’t need him until later, and Vic had to know her brother pretty well. He was suddenly curious, eager to ask her questions since she’d brought up the topic herself. “You think he’s cheating on Chrissie?”

“I’d have said no until last night,” Vic said, wide eyes uncertain.

Aaron found himself feeling a bit relieved that he was probably the only one that Robert had cheated on Chrissie with. “Do you think he loves her?”

“Why would he marry her if he didn’t?” she asked, obviously wondering where he was going with this.

“Well, you said he may have slept with someone else, right?” Aaron shrugged, then said, “Why play away if he’s so in love? And why do it the night before he’s supposed to see her?”

“I don’t know. Because he’s Robert?” Vic took a deep breath before saying anything else. “I’m being ridiculous, aren’t I?”

“You’d know better than I would. You’ve seen him with Chrissie. Does he look… I don’t know, happy? With her?”

Vic didn’t laugh off his question, even if he was being decidedly nosy by this point in the conversation. She seemed to think about it for a few seconds, then said, “I’ve spent more time with him since he’s been staying at mine. As long as it’s just us two, he’s the same old Robert I remember from when I was a little girl. He’s kind and generous, but I feel like no one ever gets to see it. Especially when Chrissie’s around! He’s completely different when he’s with her. He’s got this front that he puts up when she’s around, almost like he’s always trying to impress her. I don’t know if it makes any sense, but he acts...”

“You mean he acts like a prat,” Aaron interpreted.

That startled a laugh out of her. “He’s not that bad!” she protested.

“I think Andy and Katie would disagree with you. So would half the village.”

She smiled at him, then reached out to rest her hand on his shoulder briefly. “Thanks for cheering us up,” she said. “But let me know if you see Robert, okay? I just want to make sure he’s fine if things didn’t end up going his way this morning.”

Vic went through the open door and disappeared into the pub. Aaron stared after her for a moment, not sure what to think of their conversation. Ultimately, he followed her in and took a seat at the bar. He couldn’t think about Robert right now, not with the whole Frankie situation kicking off. Aaron would help out his mate, and then he’d try to do something about the irritating blond that seemed to haunt his thoughts every day. As much as Robert might drive him mad, Aaron wanted to help him too. The older man wasn’t doing himself any favors by trying to deny who he was.

As he sat at the bar to sip from a pint, his thoughts once again turned to things he preferred to forget about. In his mind, he could still picture Frankie as a child, but this time the man he was cowering in front of was Gordon. It was disturbing, and it made it impossible to wait there even one second longer. He ended up going out to his car, which he kept in the pub’s car park. He was about to unlock his door when he got another call from Frankie. There was plenty of background noise coming through to let him know that Frankie was at Bar West.

“I know you weren’t planning on coming until later, but do you think you can get here soon?”

“Yeah, sure,” Aaron reassured the younger man.

“Good. Your mate from last week is here trying to drink the pub dry. He’s not looking so good. Can you come by and help him out?”

“Which mate?”

“Hang on, what’s he doing that for?” Frankie interrupted. Aaron waited, listening to the muffled sound of Frankie shouting at someone. The younger man must have put a hand over the phone so he wouldn’t shout Aaron’s ear off. “Look,” Frankie finally said, “your mate’s starting to make an idiot of himself, and I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks for helping me out - you know, with this and for agreeing to walk me home. See you soon.” The background noise cut out when Frankie ended the call. Aaron stared at his mobile, somewhat annoyed. The last thing he wanted to do right now was go to Bar West and help Ben or Jay get home - especially if it was Jay. Still, he couldn’t very well just ignore it, could he?

Sighing, he unlocked his car and got in. The drive to Hotten was a quiet one. Aaron turned on some music at one point, but all it did was grate on his nerves, putting him further on edge. As dense as the silence within the car felt, it was better than having noise coming at him from all sides. He was only ten minutes from Bar West when his phone started ringing again. Answering his mobile, he put it on speaker and placed it on his lap while he drove.

“Aaron, you need to get here quick,” the younger man told him.

“Is it your dad?”

“Things just went from bad to worse with your mate!”

“I’m almost there. What’s happening?”

“You’ll see when you get here.” Frankie hung up after that cryptic remark.

It may have been cryptic, but as soon as he’d parked and made his way to Bar West, he could see what Frankie meant. Standing in the middle of the dimly lit pub were Jay and Robert. They were clearly arguing, and had attracted an audience. Men surrounded them, keeping a safe distance in case it came to blows. Frankie was standing nearby, trying to herd the two men toward the door with very limited success. Wide brown eyes regarded Aaron with relief when he walked over to see what he could do about separating the two men.

Robert had his hands fisted in Jay’s shirt, and he was yelling into the shorter man’s face. Once he was within six feet of them, he could hear Robert as the older man shouted, “You’ve ruined everything!”

“Yeah, well it serves you right!” Jay shot back, slurring a bit. “All you do is hurt the ones you’re with. Men like you deserve nothing. You’re scum!”

“Oh, please! You’re the scum. You get your thrills off taking videos of men while they’re sleeping. You’re a creep, and your boyfriend’s well rid of you.”

Aaron shoved his way through the small crowd and then pushed between the two men, forcing them apart. He put his arms out to either side, hands to each of their chests to keep them away from one another. “Get out of the way, Aaron,” Robert warned him.

“So you can do what? Deck him?” he demanded.

“You can’t take his side, not after what he did!”

“I’m not taking sides. I’m trying to keep you out of prison! The second you touch him, someone’s going to call the police. If they haven’t already.”

“No need for that, if we can get these two out of here before it comes to blows,” Frankie said from behind Aaron, resting a supportive hand on his shoulder.

“I’m supposed to listen to your little boyfriend?” Robert sneered, glaring at Frankie with obvious dislike.

It was then that Aaron rather belatedly realized that he wasn’t dealing with a sober Robert. If they hadn’t been standing in a pub, he probably would have been able to smell the alcohol on the other man. It was a bit surprising that Robert would get drunk, considering that all of his current troubles could be traced back to his idea to go on a pub crawl. The blond looked and sounded sober, but Aaron had the strong suspicion that he would never have stepped foot in Bar West without being under the influence. Aaron also had a feeling that if he were sober, Robert wouldn’t be staring at Frankie’s hand where it rested on Aaron’s shoulder as if the blond would like nothing better than to rip it off. Being drunk was the only explanation why a man who was in denial about his sexuality would be so comfortable standing in a gay bar looking jealous.

Aaron realized that the meeting with Chrissie must not have gone well. If it had, Robert would have been gathering his things from Vic’s and moving back to Home Farm. Instead, he was standing in Bar West picking a fight with Jay. Trying to get Robert to be reasonable about anything probably wasn’t going to work right now, not if he’d had a few. So rather than try and explain again that they should leave before the cops got there, Aaron grabbed Robert by the arm and started dragging him out of the pub.

“Can’t get enough of me?” Robert asked cockily once they were outside.

“Yeah, that’s right. Nothing turns me on like a bit of arrogance in a man,” Aaron agreed sarcastically.

Once again, he misjudged the effect of alcohol on Robert’s mental faculties. He was unprepared for the older man to completely miss the mockery in his statement. Aaron was taken by surprise when he was suddenly shoved up against the side of the pub, the lusty blond pinning him in place and mashing their lips together. Aaron could taste the ale in Robert’s mouth when he parted his lips, surrendering to the kiss instead of fighting the bruising force of it. He felt heat settle low in his belly when strong hands gripped his waist, holding him in place as Robert closed the distance between their bodies.

“Hope I’m not interrupting, but I kind of need help here.” Frankie’s words took a moment to register, but once they made it through his suddenly fuzzy thoughts, Aaron pulled back from Robert and turned his face away before the blond could snog him again. When he turned his head, he saw Frankie standing there next to them by the door to the pub, Jay’s arm wrapped around his shoulders as he supported the slim, dark man. Jay was obviously far more intoxicated than Robert, and it looked like he was leaning all of his weight on the younger man.

“As a matter of fact, you are interrupting,” Robert warned Frankie, hands tightening on Aaron’s waist.

For a man who had been quick to run out of Aaron’s bedroom just that morning, Robert was getting quite possessive. Remembering how the older man had left him in order to run back to Chrissie made it easy for Aaron to pull away from him so he could tuck himself under Jay’s other arm. “Sorry,” he said, apologizing to Frankie for letting Robert distract him. “Let’s grab him a cab and send him home. Robert, can you call for a taxi?”

“Why are we doing _him_ any favors? It’d serve him right if we just left him here.”

“Look, I like him even less than you do, but Ben’s a mate. I can't just leave his boyfriend like this,” he tried to explain. It was difficult, because a big part of him thought Robert was right. Aaron’s skin was crawling being this close to Jay. It was like he had the end of the video on replay in the back of his head. He just kept seeing that moment over and over, where he and Robert were cuddled together on the bed as Jay stood over them, getting a closeup of their faces. All he wanted to do was step away and let Jay fend for himself. Still, there was a small part of him that knew Ben would want him to help. They might not be best mates, but Ben had stuck by him after the whole mess with Jackson. It seemed like the very least he could do was shove Jay into a taxi and send him on his way.

“Can we get by, please?” a man asked, trying to get inside Bar West. The four of them were standing in front of the entrance, blocking the way.

“Come on, this way,” Frankie said, nodding toward the corner. Aaron shuffled along, helping to support Jay as they made their way the short distance to the corner of the street.

“Let’s put him up against this light post,” Aaron suggested. He and Frankie propped Jay against the pole, and then Aaron was free to slide out from under the other man’s arm. Jay stood there quietly, head lolling to the side as he tried to stay upright. Doubting how long the slim man would be able to manage that, Aaron grabbed his mobile and placed a call for a cab.

He found Robert glaring at him when he hung up. “You’ve called him a cab. Can we go now?”

Aaron wondered when it had been decided that he was going anywhere with the older man. Yes, they may have snogged each other just now, but that didn’t mean Aaron was going home with him. “And leave Frankie here to deal with this one?” he asked Robert. “I don’t think so.”

“Fuck off,” Jay muttered.

“He doesn’t even want our help,” Robert pointed out. “And he told me that Ben dumped him, so you’re not even doing your mate any favors.” When Aaron just shook his head, Robert frowned at him. Blue green eyes shifted over to Frankie, and the frown grew deeper. “Or is he the real reason you want to stick around?”

“Jealous, are you?” Aaron asked, intentionally mimicking the question that had made Robert pounce on him the night before. The blond’s eyes shifted back over to him, and Aaron met his gaze. “You don’t own me, Robert. In fact, it seemed like you were pretty much through with me this morning.”

“So what, you’re going to go home with _him_ instead?” Robert demanded, outraged.

Before Aaron could respond, Jay beat him to it. “Good for you, Aaron! You’re better off without him.”

“Shut up!” Aaron told him, voice sharp. “Robert’s right - you’re complete filth.”

“He was using you!” Jay insisted, dark eyes intense as he looked at Aaron. “All Robert’s interested in is himself. If I hadn’t done anything, he would have married his bird and kept you on the side.”

Aaron shrugged, struggling with his temper. “Maybe. Maybe not. It didn’t give you the right to send Chrissie that video. Can’t you see that what you did was wrong?”

“She broke up with him because of me!” Jay shouted, weaving as he leaned against the light post and pointed angrily at Robert. “I did her a favor. Look how she ran once she knew the kind of man she’d be marrying. Not my fault you’re too stupid to see I was just trying to help!”

“Yeah, well if I’d wanted your help, I’d have asked for it,” Aaron said.

“I’m with Aaron on this,” Frankie spoke up. “The end doesn’t justify the means. Sending that video was wrong.”

“Worse, you did it as some kind of sick revenge on a man you’re not even with anymore,” Aaron added.

“Wait, he what?” Robert interrupted, looking between Aaron and Jay, as if trying to figure out what they were talking about.

It occurred to Aaron then that he’d never explained about Jay’s ex. “The reason he sent Chrissie the video and the picture of us is because of this ex of his. He had a boyfriend who never came out of the closet, and now he’s all bitter over something that happened years ago,” Aaron explained, looking at Jay with distaste.

Jay shook his head violently, not willing to listen. “No, it was bigger than that. One day you’ll thank me. You’ll find someone else, like I found Ben. They’ll make you happy - happier than some closet case ever could. I stopped you and his bird from making a big mistake!”

Aaron ran his hand over his mouth, aching to reach out and punch the other man. “Ben dumped you for what you did! Doesn’t that tell you anything?” Jay was obstinately silent, refusing to respond to that. It was probably a good thing that the cab pulled up just then. Aaron watched as Frankie helped the slim man get in, knowing that Jay might never feel even the smallest shred of guilt or remorse for what he’d done.

“I still don’t get why you wanted to do him any favors,” Robert said, standing beside him and looking on as Frankie tried to get Jay’s feet in the car. “That’s got to be the stupidest reason I’ve ever heard for ruining an engagement.”

Aaron glanced over at Robert, examining his attractive face while the blond’s attention wasn’t on him. “It may have been stupid, but he did make one good point.”

Robert looked at him in surprise. “How can you still be trying to side with that piece of filth?”

“I’m not siding with him!” Aaron argued. “I’m just saying, even if his reasons and his actions were bad, he still made a point. If I hadn’t passed out before we could do anything that night, we would have had sex. You were ready to cheat on Chrissie with me - a man.”

“Because I was drunk!” Robert protested. “I wouldn’t have done it otherwise.”

He kind of already had, but Aaron didn’t say that. Instead, he shrugged and said, “Whatever.” Robert stared at him suspiciously. “What?” Aaron asked him.

“You’re seriously letting it go? And here I thought you were gearing up for another fight with me.”

“Why bother?” Aaron muttered under his breath as he turned to watch Frankie finally slam the car door shut. No matter what he said, Robert was still going to deny that he was anything other than straight. Even if Robert was right, that he never would have cheated on Chrissie if he wasn’t plastered, it didn’t change the fact that he was either bisexual or gay and hiding it from his fiancee.

“Oi!” The cab driver had rolled down his window to grab their attention. “Where am I dropping this one?” Aaron gave him Ben’s address, and then the cab was driving off, taking Jay away.

“What are you even doing here?” Aaron asked Robert as Frankie came to join them. “Bar West is the last place I’d have expected you to turn up.”

“Yeah, well, I got a text from Jay, didn’t I? He must have gotten my number at one point. He wanted to tell me off about something, so I came here to have a little chat with him.”

“After I told you to stay away from him?” Aaron asked. 

“You said you didn’t want me going after him,” Robert explained, raising his eyebrows at him. “It’s hardly going after if he invites me for a chat.”

Well, he couldn’t argue with that. Shaking his head, he looked the older man over. He was gorgeous in tight jeans and his leather jacket, but what Aaron was really checking for was if he was fine to drive home. “Are you over the limit? Do you need a ride home?”

Robert glanced over at Frankie, then looked back at Aaron and said, “Yeah, I’ll take a ride from you.”

Aaron didn’t miss the suggestive tone. Robert was clearly trying to make Frankie jealous. Shaking his head, he turned to the younger man and said, “I’m going to take this one home, but I’ll come back after.”

The younger man looked amused when Robert tugged on Aaron’s arm, trying to get his attention. “It hardly makes sense for you to come back here,” the blond objected.

“Yeah, well I’m going to anyway. Just give me a moment with Frankie, yeah?”

For a moment, Aaron thought Robert might refuse, but he ended up walking back toward the entrance of Bar West. It was only a few yards away, but it gave him enough privacy that he could lower his voice and say, “Sorry about that. He can be a bit of a prat.”

Frankie rolled his eyes. “A bit? The man’s arse over elbow for you. He’s just too thick to see it.” Aaron glanced over his shoulder at Robert, who was scowling at them. “You’d better go over there and take him home before he decides to come over here and piss on you to mark his territory.”

Aaron scrunched up his face. “Ugh! Last thing I needed was that visual in my head! Thanks for that, by the way.”

“You’re welcome,” Frankie laughed, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “Now you’d really better go. I’m afraid he’s going to come over and deck me for kissing you.”

“Who, Robert? Nah, he’ll just say a bunch of nasty things to your face. He’s not much for hitting people.”

“Well that’s a relief! You know, he’s probably going to make a move on you when you take him home.”

Aaron tried not to react to that, but he could feel himself warming all over, his body eager for another night with the older man. “According to him, it was just a one off,” he said, shrugging.

“Yeah, well if it does get interesting, don’t feel the need to come back here just to walk me home, alright?” Frankie said, reaching out to run a reassuring hand along Aaron’s arm. “I’m probably worrying over nothing. I was thinking about it, and it just isn’t likely that-”

“Aaron, watch out!” Robert shouted.

Everything seemed to slow down around him. It was like he had all the time in the world to hear the screeching of tires and to turn his head to see the car driving straight at him. He had time to think, _this doesn’t make sense..._ He had time to recognize that the trajectory of the car was all wrong, that there was no reason for it to be hurdling straight toward him like it was. And then everything was speeding up, and suddenly there wasn’t enough time for anything. Aaron had a fraction of a second to make a decision.

Gritting his teeth, he shoved Frankie away, using all of his strength to send the younger man stumbling backwards, out of the path of danger. Aaron threw himself forward after him, but he wasn’t fast enough. Not nearly fast enough. He knew it when the car hit him. He didn’t feel it, but he heard it. It was a dull thud, and he could swear he heard the snapping of bones. And then, before he passed out, he heard Robert’s voice calling his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping you liked this. Comments and kudos appreciated! I want to make sure this chapter was good, so any feedback you give will be helpful.
> 
> Most of what I wrote in this chapter wasn't planned. I like to have a general outline for my stories before I start writing, but I had such a hard time with this chapter. From the first paragraph it was horrible, but I kept writing because I figured if I stuck to my outline for the story, it would eventually come together. It didn't. I had a really long chapter that was ready to post two weeks ago, but I just wasn't happy with it. I sat on it for a week, and then went back to reread it only to find it was as bad as I feared. I ended up scrapping the entire first draft, and went in an entirely new direction. Kind of nervous now, because my original plans for the ending no longer fit. I'm flying blind now, so like I said, your comments will be greatly appreciated.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented to give me some much needed support after my little freak out moment from the previous chapter, after I went off script and panicked lol! I feel better about the story now. I'm just letting it take me where it wants to. You are all the very best <3
> 
> Disclaimer - I am not a medical professional, so I'm sorry if any of this is inaccurate. Google was my friend for this chapter, so if I got anything wrong, it's hopefully not so off the mark as to be really distracting.

**10 December 2014  
Wednesday**

If someone had asked him what he expected to see when he woke, he would never have said that it would be Robert Sugden asleep at his bedside.

He didn’t notice Robert at first. One moment Aaron was asleep, and the next a surge of fear had startled him awake. He flung his eyes open, looking around frantically as he took big, gasping breaths. Everything came back all at once - the fretful drive to Bar West, breaking up the argument between Robert and Jay, and then seeing the car coming at him. That’s where his memory started to fail him. There was fear when he saw the car and realized what was about to happen, and then there was pain and blurred lights as he fell. The one thing that filtered through clearly in those final seconds before he passed out was the dreaded certainty that he was taking his last breath.

Only it clearly hadn’t been his last breath. Here he was in hospital, feeling like his body was one big, pulsing bruise. The way his chest was heaving as he labored for air made it worse. He winced, trying to manage his gasps and calm himself down. That’s when he noticed Robert. The other man was sitting on a chair next to Aaron’s bed. He was slumped forward over the mattress, with his blond head resting on folded arms. His leather jacket was draped over the back of his chair, and he’d unbuttoned the cuffs of his burgundy shirt like he’d tried to get comfortable before falling asleep. The soft sound of his even breaths helped Aaron relax, and he found himself syncing his own breathing with Robert’s until he was starting to feel drowsy.

He fought the urge to nod off, which wasn’t that difficult to do because the longer he laid there, the more aware he became of a ringing in his ears. It definitely wasn’t something he normally heard, so he knew it had to be some kind of side effect of the accident. Aaron had a lot of questions about the accident, and about the extent of his injuries. There was pain - a lot of it - but not as much as he’d feared. Pain was nothing because it meant he was alive. He took a deep breath, relishing the act in spite of the way it made his body ache. Aaron knew he was incredibly lucky to be breathing at all right now.

All things considered, he felt better than expected. His left arm was in some kind of stiff sling so that he couldn’t move it around. There was bandaging around his head, and he wondered if maybe it was wrapped too tightly because his entire skull was throbbing in time to his heartbeat. If he rolled his eyes up, he could see the edge of the plaster that had been placed over his right eyebrow. All it took was a bit of poking and prodding at the plaster to decide it was probably covering up stitches. His right ankle was wrapped up tightly, and it hurt when he moved it. On top of feeling bruised on every inch of his body, he was covered in quite a few scrapes along his arms and on his palms.

Aaron wanted to ask Robert if he had any news from the doctor, or about the accident, but he still hesitated to wake him. Reaching out, he ran his fingertips through blond hair, taking comfort in the sleek strands sliding against his skin. It was amazing how peaceful Robert seemed like this, and it immediately brought to mind how he’d looked in Aaron’s bed the other morning. He seemed more accessible like this, eyes closed with long pale lashes resting against his skin, and his pink lips parted ever so slightly. Aaron buried his hand in thick silken strands, feeling the warmth of Robert’s scalp against his palm. The older man sighed in his sleep, and Aaron decided to wait just a little longer before waking him.

He must have fallen asleep like that, stroking Robert’s hair, because the next thing he knew, they weren’t alone anymore. Frankie was there too. Both men were standing close together, voices lowered as they argued by the foot of his bed. His ears were still ringing, and he was having a hard time making out their whispered words. Aaron tried to speak, but ended up coughing instead, his throat so dry it hurt. They both turned when they heard him, but it was Frankie who hurried to his bedside and grabbed the cup of water waiting there for him.

“Here,” the younger man said, holding the cup for him. It had a bendy straw poking out of it so that he wouldn’t have to struggle too hard when drinking while flat on his back. Aaron gave Frankie a grateful look as he cautiously sipped from the straw, his eyes watering from having coughed so hard.

“Thanks,” he rasped once he’d had enough. Frankie placed the cup back on the little table next to Aaron’s bed. Robert walked over to stand next to the younger man so that they were both at Aaron’s bedside, looming over him. It was a little overwhelming.

He couldn’t help but notice that both of them seemed tired. Frankie looked positively wretched. His skin, which was usually a warm tan in color, looked sallow. His complexion had become so dull that the normally unobtrusive tiny gold stud he wore on his nostril suddenly seemed to stand out. It was glinting a happy yellow against the backdrop of his grim face. It could have been Aaron’s imagination, but even Frankie’s fluffy curls seemed to look flat today. He had always appeared youthful, but now there were fine lines at the corners of his mouth because of the way he was frowning. More than his outward appearance, there was something almost brittle about him as he stood there gazing down at Aaron. He had his dark blue jacket zipped all the way up, and he crossed his arms while he seemed to huddle there, as if he were chilled.

Robert stood tall beside Frankie, a direct contrast. His blond hair had a healthy shine to it, even though it was ruffled - possibly tousled from when Aaron had run his fingers through it. His eyes were a bit puffy and red. Otherwise he looked as fit as ever, if a bit rumpled. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his wrinkled burgundy shirt so that his freckled forearms were bared, drawing Aaron’s attention to them when Robert set his hands on his hips. “How do you feel?” the older man asked him.

“Like I’ve been hit by a car.”

They stared at him, neither of them cracking a smile. “That’s got to be the worst joke I’ve ever heard,” Robert finally told him, but Aaron caught the way his lips quirked up at the corners.

“I don’t know, I thought it was pretty funny. It’s got me in stitches,” he said, completely deadpan, raising his eyebrows at Robert. He wished he hadn’t moved his eyebrows. The skin over the right one felt hot, tight, and itchy from the stitches hidden under the plaster.

“Please tell me you weren’t always this much of a dork, and it’s just the pain meds talking,” Robert said.

“It’s probably the pain meds,” Aaron agreed. They lapsed into silence, and Aaron desperately wanted to ask him why he was there. He wasn’t surprised that Frankie had stuck around, but Robert? For all that they’d slept together the other night, they weren’t actually mates. He knew Robert was attracted to him, but sitting at his bedside waiting for him to wake was something a boyfriend might do. He stopped himself from asking, but only because he thought the question might scare Robert off.

“I’m so glad you’re alright,” Frankie said, uncrossing his arms so he could take Aaron’s hand in his. It was his right hand, the one not in the sling, but he did have an IV stuck into the back of it, and a heart rate monitor clamped on his finger. Frankie was careful not to disturb any of it when he grabbed Aaron’s hand.

Robert looked ready to protest, his disapproval clear to read on his features as he looked at Aaron’s hand in Frankie’s. It was a good thing that the door opened then, because Aaron didn’t think he had the energy to make them both behave. A nurse walked in, but she was mostly blocked from his view by the two men standing over him. She made her way over to his other side, on his left, and smiled down at him briefly before she brought out her clipboard and pen. She looked as tired as Aaron felt. Her skin was pale and a bit pasty, as if she’d had far too many night shifts and hadn’t seen the sun in years. Her dark roots had grown out by a good inch, contrasting with the light blonde coloring of the rest of her hair. “You’re awake. I thought you’d sleep through my shift.”

“Er-”

“How are you feeling, Mr. Livesy?” she asked, sounding a bit flat.

“I’ve been better,” he told her. “My head’s killing me.”

“I’m afraid that’s to be expected. You’ve got a concussion,” the nurse explained, rather absently. Her attention had moved from the clipboard in her hands to the monitors hooked up to him. Her attention went back and forth between the two as she wrote careful notes on his readings. “Besides the headache, are you experiencing any other discomfort?”

Aaron frowned, wondering where to start. Robert beat him to it. The tall man was glaring at the nurse, and his voice was scathing when he asked, “What kind of question is that?”

“Excuse me?” the nurse asked, startled. Her attention had finally shifted from her work, and she was staring wide-eyed at Robert.

“It’s not like he’s come in here with a cold! He’s been hit by a car, in case you hadn’t noticed. Of course he’s experiencing discomfort!”

“Robert…” Aaron tried to soothe him.

“No, I want to know what’s being done for him. We’ve been here all night, and I haven’t seen the doctor even once! No, we’ve had the police come and go like they own the place, but you’re the first nurse to walk in from what I’ve seen, and all you’ve done is ask stupid questions.”

“The doctor will be here shortly,” the nurse said, somewhat defensively. “I assure you, we’re doing everything we can for Mr. Livesy. We take all of our patient’s care very seriously!”

“What about the police?” Aaron interrupted before Robert could go off again.

Robert raised his eyebrows at Frankie. “Do you want to explain, or should I?”

“Mr. Livesy should be resting,” the nurse argued unhelpfully. “The last thing he needs is to worry about the accident!”

“It’s too late for that!” Aaron scowled, which made his stitches pull uncomfortably over his eyebrow. He felt helpless as he laid there on his back, all bruised and battered. He hated it.

“Robert, maybe she’s right?” Frankie offered, somewhat timidly. Aaron stared at him. Since when did Frankie do timid? He was always sassy and cheerful, or charmingly stubborn - never timid.

“Right, you’re just scared that once he finds out it was your _dad_ that ran him over, he won’t want anything to do with you!” Robert sneered, once again eyeing Frankie’s grip on Aaron’s hand. The younger man let him go, taking a step back away from the bed.

“Maybe the two of you should leave?” the nurse suggested.

“Hang on! No one’s going anywhere!” Aaron said, raising his voice. Looking at Frankie, he said, “What’s Robert talking about? Your dad did this?”

“I’m so sorry!” Frankie said, looking completely gutted. Now his appearance was beginning to make sense to Aaron. The poor lad was feeling guilty for what had happened, and it was clearly getting to him. “I was worried he’d come after me, but I never thought he’d do something like _this._ I swear I’d never have asked you to come to Bar West if I thought this would happen!”

Aaron’s heart felt like it was being squeezed tight in his chest as he saw how Frankie was watching him, wide brown eyes wet with unshed tears and looking completely devastated. His heart rate monitor started emitting unhappy noises that had the nurse rounding the bed and inserting herself between Aaron and the two other men. “You have to leave now,” she told them both.

“I’m not going anywhere!” Robert protested. “It’s him who should be leaving!”

“I’m sorry, Aaron!” Frankie told him, giving him one last glance over the short nurse’s head before he hurried from the room.

“You too!” the nurse told Robert.

“No, wait!” Aaron said, feeling breathless and aching all over. “Robert can stay, just give us a minute, alright?”

“You need your rest,” the nurse objected, looking at him uncertainly.

“Yeah, I’ll rest, I promise. I just need some answers first.” The woman looked like she might argue, but then she gave a nod and let herself out of the room. It was just him and Robert again, but this time wasn’t restful like it had been before, when the other man was sleeping. Now Aaron was frustrated and confused. He watched as Robert pushed the chair closer to the bed before he sat down on the edge of the seat. His legs were spread wide, and he had his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped loosely together. There was no denying he looked good like that, his green blue eyes trained on Aaron’s face, giving him his full attention. Almost like he was worried about him.

“Did you have to chase Frankie away?” Aaron finally asked.

“His dad is the psycho, but I’m the bad guy here?” Robert demanded, upset.

Seeing Robert unclasp his hands and set them on his knees, bracing to stand up, Aaron rushed to say, “No, come on, that’s not what I meant! Just… stay, alright?”

Robert looked at him for a moment before leaning back in the chair and folding his arms across his chest. It made him look incredibly closed off and sulky, but at least he hadn’t run off like he had a habit of doing whenever they argued. The blond glared at him, eyes intense as he said, “You’d prefer if Frankie had stayed and I’d gone? It’s his fault you’re here!”

“That’s not what I meant either,” Aaron sighed, head pounding. “I’m just saying you could have gone easy on him, is all! It’s not his fault he’s got a rubbish dad,” he argued. “Did you know the man was in prison up until recently for battering Frankie? If you thought Jay was scum, it’s nothing to what that man is!”

“And in my opinion, he should have stayed locked up,” Robert said, eyebrows raised as he sat up straight and uncrossed his arms. Rather than coming off as cocky or defensive, like usual, he actually sounded and looked completely earnest. “There’s clearly something wrong with him if the first thing he does after being released is hunt down his son and try to run him over!”

“So why take it out on Frankie if you know his dad’s the one who’s responsible for this?” Aaron asked, not following. “He’s clearly gutted about what happened! And it’s not like he knew what his dad was going to do.”

Robert shook his head, looking up at the ceiling as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Come on, he knows what his dad is capable of! Maybe he didn’t know exactly what he’d do, but he was still expecting something. That’s why he called you in the first place, isn’t it? He wanted you there in case his dad came looking for him.” Aaron opened his mouth to argue, but found he couldn’t. Robert was right about that part, at least. “You’re here because of both of them. Frankie wasn’t behind the wheel, but he’s the reason you got hurt. And tell me why you’re the first person he thought to call for help?”

Aaron shook his head, but regretted it immediately. Moving his neck pulled at his left shoulder, which was injured. Squeezing his eyes shut, he settled back into his pillow, just taking a moment. He felt the lightest of touches on his right forearm, and opened his eyes to find that Robert had leaned forward in his chair, fingers brushing over Aaron’s skin worriedly. “Should I get the nurse? She’s a right cow, but I’m sure she’d give you something for the pain.”

“No, don’t bother,” Aaron said, staring at the other man while trying not to be too obvious. He couldn’t get over how good Robert was being with him. Yeah, he’d yelled a bit and threw his weight around with the nurse and Frankie, but he hadn’t actually turned that incredible wit and sharp tongue on Aaron yet. He was acting like he genuinely cared that Aaron was laid up in hospital. “Look,” he eventually said, “I’m not the first one Frankie called, but he needed help. What was I supposed to say? ‘Soz, but good luck with your dad, yeah? Hope he doesn’t attack you!’ Who knows what may have happened if I hadn’t been there to push Frankie out of the way!”

“I get why you wanted to help him, but it was still wrong of him to ask,” Robert insisted. “If he was worried enough to call all his friends for help, then maybe what he should have been doing is getting out of town for a bit instead of putting someone else in danger.”

Aaron could see how Robert’s reasoning had lead him to that suggestion. He clearly felt that Frankie had given too much thought to his own safety, and not enough thought to Aaron’s. But by assigning any kind of blame to Frankie for what had happened to Aaron, Robert was effectively making him take responsibility for the actions of his father. And that was just plain wrong. There was no way that Frankie should ever be blamed for what his father had done, whether it was for running Aaron down with his car, or for beating his own son because he was just that bitter and unhappy with life. None of it was Frankie’s fault.

He suddenly felt a strong need to get Robert to understand, to see that it was wrong for a son to be held responsible for his father’s actions. Aaron shifted his arm, moving to grab the hand Robert had left resting on his forearm. It was awkward with the heart rate monitor clipped to his pointer, but he still managed to squeeze his fingers around Robert’s. “He was scared, that’s why he called me. You can’t blame him for that. Besides, he’s got a life here. So what, he’s just supposed to drop everything because his dad _might_ come after him? How long should he have gone away for? A few days? A week? How long before a psycho like that gets bored and moves on?” Aaron almost shook his head, but stopped before he hurt himself by doing that again. “We’re arguing over what Frankie should have done, when it’s his dad who’s to blame!”

There was no way to tell whether or not his words had any effect on Robert. The door opened, and suddenly his mum was there, with Frankie nervously trailing behind her. “Aaron!” she exclaimed when she saw him laying there. She hurried toward him, and Robert pushed back his chair so he could stand and give Chas some room. Their hands parted as soon as the other man stood, and Aaron found himself tensing up, bracing himself for pain as he watched his mum rush toward him. Instead of throwing herself on him, she hesitated before actually touching him. Clearly not wanting to hurt him, Chas settled for running her hand down his right forearm, the same spot that Robert had laid his hand on earlier. It was the part of him closest to her that didn’t look too banged up. “Aaron, just look at you! What happened, baby? Are you alright? What did the doctor say?”

“I haven’t seen the doctor yet,” Aaron told her. He saw her open her mouth, so he interrupted before she could work herself up into a bother. “I’m _fine_ mum, honest. I’m mostly just sore, anyway. It looks worse than it is.”

She glared at him, dark eyes bright with emotion. “Well, it looks pretty bad from where I’m standing!” She glanced at Frankie and Robert where they had gone to stand at the foot of Aaron’s bed. Chas frowned at them as she unzipped her black winter coat, then looked back down at Aaron while she took it off. “What’s Robert doing here? And are you at least going to tell me what happened? I got a call from Frankie telling me to come to hospital because you’d been hit by a car.”

“You know about as much as I do, then,” Aaron said, rather tiredly. He was starting to wish he’d stayed asleep after nodding off while he stroked Robert’s hair. “I’ve only just woken up.”

“I think I can fill in some of the blanks,” Frankie said, voice dull. Aaron looked at him, not caring for how wretched the lad still looked. Brown eyes met Aaron’s gaze, and Frankie said, “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t asked you to come…”

“What do you mean, it’s your fault?” Chas asked.

“Aaron was only there because of me,” Frankie told her, wide brown eyes sad and guilty.

His mum reacted before Aaron could reassure the lad. She dropped her coat on Robert’s chair and went over to rub Frankie’s back comfortingly. “Don’t be daft,” she told him. “Aaron’s hardly going to blame you for the accident! There was no way you could have known what was going to happen. If anything, he’s lucky you were there! You’ve been here all night with my son, and who else would have known to call me at the Woolpack?”

“What am I? Invisible?” Robert scoffed from Frankie’s other side.

Chas gave him a fake smile, which looked more like she was either baring her teeth at Robert or gritting them tightly. Maybe she was doing both. “No, I just keep hoping you’ll disappear,” Chas quipped. She took her hand from Frankie’s back so she could cross her arms and cock her hip. She looked full of fight as she gave Robert an expectant look. “Well? I’m still waiting to hear what you’re doing in my son’s hospital room. In the neighborhood, were you?”

“Something like that,” Robert said guardedly.

Sensing his discomfort, and realizing Robert might be nervous of being outed, Aaron spoke up. “That nurse has been gone for a while, hasn’t she?”

The older man rolled his eyes. “Probably off her shift, lazy cow. Maybe I can find someone else to help you.”

“Yeah, send in the nurse, and then maybe you can see yourself out,” Chas suggested.

Aaron didn’t have the energy to handle this right now. He knew she was just worried about him, but the last thing he needed was her taking it out on Robert. “Mum, don’t.” 

“Forget it, don’t bother,” Robert told him. “I should just go. It was a mistake staying here.”

“Robert…”

“It’s fine, alright?” the older man told him, but it was clearly not fine. Aaron watched in frustration as - yet again - Robert prepared to run out on him. Why was it that they were fine when on their own, but the moment someone else was in the room with them, Robert had to go and clam up? Aaron scowled as the other man walked to the chair next to Aaron and Chas, grabbing his leather jacket that had been draped over the back. His movements were quick and angry as he tugged the jacket on and made to leave.

“Wait!” Chas spoke up, staring at Robert. The tall man paused, looking at her in confusion. Aaron couldn’t blame him. His mum was pointing at Robert, wagging her finger at him as she stared back at Aaron questioningly. She looked like a madwoman, gaping at Aaron all wide-eyed, and then glaring at Robert, pointing first at the older man, and then at him.

Clearly impatient, Robert held his hands out at his sides and shrugged. “What?”

“Is that…? No, that can’t be right,” she said, stepping toward Robert while still pointing at him. He backed up, knocking into the chair as he tried to put distance between them, but Chas grabbed onto the lapels of his jacket.

“Mum!” Aaron protested, more than a bit shocked when she leaned in to press her nose against Robert’s chest.

“It is!” she crowed, pulling back. “That’s the jacket!” His mum turned to him, and they stared at each other as it suddenly clicked into place for him. She recognized Robert’s leather jacket from the night he’d stayed with Aaron. As for the sniffing of the jacket, as Aaron knew all too well, Robert favored some kind of expensive cologne that lingered tantalizingly on his clothing and skin. She’d probably noticed it when she had picked the jacket up off the floor of the living room and placed it over the back of the sofa.

“No,” his mum said, a horrified look on her face. She shook her head slowly as they looked at each other. “No, you can’t have. You wouldn’t, not with him! I’ve got it wrong. Please tell me I’m wrong!”

Robert pulled at his jacket, straightening it after the way she’d manhandled it. He put some distance between himself and Chas, going to stand next to Frankie at the foot of the bed like he was worried she might lunge at him again. “Anyone else completely lost?” the blond asked, irritated. Aaron rolled his eyes when Frankie raised his hand to show he didn’t know what was going on either.

“Alright, you’re wrong,” Aaron told Chas.

“Aaron, you idiot, what were you thinking?” his mum asked, glaring at him darkly. “With _him?_ Does Frankie know about this?”

“Frankie has no clue,” Frankie answered for himself, standing by Aaron’s feet looking puzzled. “What’s wrong with the jacket?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my jacket,” Robert told him, resting his hands on his hips. “It’s real Italian leather. Maybe Chas just doesn’t recognize quality when she sees it.”

“Frankie knows, alright?” Aaron told her, ignoring the two men for now. His head was really pounding now. “Please don’t make this into a big deal!”

“You’re kidding me right now, right?” Chas asked. When Aaron didn’t answer, she once again crossed her arms and began to tap one of her feet. “So what, you’re dating Frankie and sleeping with Robert on the side? How is this not a big deal? And since when are you gay?” she asked Robert, looking almost as if he’d betrayed her.

Robert had nearly the same expression on his face, but he was leveling his at Aaron. “I’m not gay! And what happened to keeping this between us?”

“It was your jacket!” Aaron rushed to explain.

“Again with the jacket!” Frankie exclaimed, his confusion at least instilling his tired features with some life. He reached out to touch the leather, but Robert moved away from everyone and went to stand by the door.

“Oh my god, I’m dealing with a bunch of idiots,” Chas muttered, low enough that Aaron was the only one to hear her. She sneered at Robert, lip lifted in disdain. “Aaron didn’t tell me your little secret. I found your leather jacket on the floor after you apparently spent the night with my son. He let me think it was Frankie’s. Pretty careless of you to leave your jacket laying around, wasn’t it? Maybe next time you try sneaking around with my son, you should be more careful!”

“Yeah, maybe next time I will be.”

Chas stared at Robert, momentarily rendered speechless by his cheek. She shook her head then and pointed a threatening finger at him. “Oh no, I don’t think so! You’re going nowhere near him!”

Frankie, who had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since Aaron had woken up in hospital after being run over by his crazy dad, spoke up then. The younger man glanced at Robert, who was still standing by the door, before looking at Chas and saying, “From what I’ve been able to see, they’re crazy about each other. I don’t think forbidding them to see one another is going to work. Maybe you should just let it happen, and they’ll work things out on their own?”

“He,” Chas hissed, still pointing at Robert for emphasis while she glared at Frankie, “is a liar and a cheat! He’s been unfaithful to every woman who’s ever been fool enough to love him. Oh, and he’s engaged, by the way! I wonder what Chrissie will say when she hears about this!”

“She already knows,” Robert admitted, words coming reluctantly to his lips.

A smile slowly grew on Chas’ face, and she finally let her hand drop so she wasn’t pointing at him anymore. “You’ve been staying with Victoria, haven’t you? I guess now I know why.” She gave a satisfied nod. “Chrissie’s one woman who won’t have you pulling the wool over her eyes. Good for her!”

“Mum,” Aaron said, warning her off. He hadn’t missed the absolute fury on Robert’s face at being taunted. “Just leave it, alright? Nothing happened between me and Robert until after he moved in with Vic. He wasn’t cheating on Chrissie.” It wasn’t the whole story, but it was true that they hadn’t actually slept together until Chrissie had already kicked Robert out.

She gave an inelegant snort at that. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Chrissie didn’t believe it either, as it happens,” Robert said. “But it’s the truth. Nothing happened between me and Aaron, but she still dumped me. It’s official as of yesterday, so what’s to stop me from seeing your son if I want to?”

He’d managed to catch her by surprise again. Chas very clearly didn’t want them together, and she’d been counting on the threat of exposing their affair to Chrissie to keep Robert away. The older man smirked when Chas once again fell silent, blindsided by him. His victory was short lived. She gave a humorless laugh, then said, “Right, so you plan on dating my son all proper like? So you won’t care if I let everyone know you’re together, then?” It was Robert’s turn to go quiet. “That’s what I thought. You’ll stay away from my boy, or I’ll tell everyone who’ll listen that your fiancee called it off because of Aaron.”

“If you do that, I’ll never forgive you,” Aaron told her, furious, exhausted, and in pain. He interrupted her before she could say anything. “Mum, you just threatened to out him! I don’t care how much you hate him, that’s taking it too far!”

“Oh, come on, I was just saying it because he was winding me up!” Chas protested. “I wasn’t actually going to say anything.”

He knew she was telling the truth, but their bickering was more than he could take right now. It was a good thing that the doctor chose that moment to walk in. Aaron was so relieved he could have kissed her, even though she was definitely not his type, being a woman and all. Her entrance had everyone shuffling around. Robert had to move away from the door so the doctor could come in, and Chas had to move from Aaron’s bedside to give the doctor room to check Aaron over. All three of them stood at his feet, probably thinking they’d be less in the way there. “We normally don’t allow so many visitors at the same time,” the doctor said, looking at everyone. The tension was thick enough that he could have cut it with a knife. She raised an auburn colored brow and met Aaron’s eyes. “You want any of them to leave?”

“No, they’re fine,” Aaron growled.

“Right,” she said, tucking a copper curl that had escaped her bun back behind her ear. She took the time to give everyone a stern look before she said, “If any of you upset my patient, you’ll have to go. Mr. Livesy, I’m Doctor Kelly and I’d like to talk to you about your injuries, if you’re up to it?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I actually don’t feel too bad. I mean, I’m tired and everything’s sore, but I thought it’d be worse.”

“It could have been much worse,” she told him, not sugarcoating it. “As I understand it, a light pole took most of the impact, and you were able to jump almost entirely out of the way before the car struck you. Besides the overall soreness, how do you feel? Are you experiencing a headache, dizziness or nausea?”

“My head’s pounding,” he admitted. “And there’s a ringing in my ears.”

“The headache and ringing in the ears are normal side effects of a concussion. So is fatigue. You managed to knock your head, but there won’t be permanent damage. You’ve got a number of small lacerations on your scalp and across your body, the worst one over your right eye. We had to put in stitches for that one.”

“Will it scar?” his mum asked.

“That’s unlikely, but if it does, it’ll be a small scar,” Dr. Kelly said. “To reduce chances of scarring, you’ll want to let it heal naturally and avoid sun. But like I said, I don’t expect it to scar. Your shoulder is your most severe injury. It was dislocated-”

“But not broken?” he asked.

“No. Actually, you suffered no breaks or fractures at all, which is very unusual after being hit by a car.”

“It’s just… I could have sworn I heard my bones breaking when I was hit.” He felt a comforting touch on his shin, and glanced down to the foot of his bed to see Frankie had reached out for him. Robert stood next to the younger man, unaware that Aaron was watching him as his green blue eyes looked at the hand resting on Aaron’s leg. He’d seen Robert look jealous before when Frankie touched him, but this time the older man looked almost lost in thought.

Aaron frowned at him before turning his attention back to the doctor. “It’s possible you heard your shoulder dislocating, or maybe even the sound of the car hitting the light post. It’s not uncommon for patients to experience a number of confusing sounds and sensations during a traumatic event. The shoulder joint was dislocated on impact, and there is some inflammation to the muscles there. Your shoulder is currently splinted, and will have to stay immobilized this way for the next few weeks. Besides the injury to your shoulder, you also suffered a grade one ankle sprain with stretching and mild tearing of the ligaments. We’ve applied a compression wrap to reduce the swelling.”

“How long was I out of it?” he asked.

“All night,” Robert spoke up, unaware that Aaron had woken up at one point while Robert was napping. “It’s early morning now.” Aaron gazed at him. Robert had been at his bedside all night?

“Eventually I’ll want to go over treatment plans with you,” Dr. Kelly said. “You’re looking at minor rehabilitation for the shoulder. It should take about four to six weeks to heal up. Do you have any questions for me, Mr. Livesy?”

He blinked at her, and it actually took him a moment to realize she’d asked him a question. He was starting to space out. “Er, not that I can think of,” he told her.

“I’ll be back to check on you later.” Dr. Kelly looked around at everyone and said, “Mr. Livesy has a concussion and should have plenty of rest. In fact, I’m going to have to ask that you visit one at a time. ” Giving them a nod, she left the room.

Chas looked around at all of them, then gave a huff. “I don’t know why you two are still standing here! I’m staying with my son!”

Aaron could only lay there and watch as Robert and Frankie filed out of the room. His mum sat down on the chair that Robert had fallen asleep in earlier, and reached out to run her hand over his forearm. He actually found that comforting, and it helped him ease back into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of character interaction in this chapter =) I always enjoy writing Chas into my stories.
> 
> More to come soon-ish! You know, slowly but surely.
> 
> I know I thanked everyone for their comments in the beginning notes, but here's an extra thank you! I'm so happy that you are out there, still reading this and enjoying it.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait. There was work, then I had to deal with some family problems. Everything's okay now, but I wanted to say sorry to those of you who have been waiting for me to update this for months. I hope you enjoy! Comments are much appreciated.
> 
> I will be posting an update for my canon fic When She Fell soon, for those of you who have also been reading that story.

**16 December 2014  
Tuesday**

“Eyyy!”

Aaron turned at the familiar greeting and spotted Adam striding into the pub, Moira and James trailing behind him. His best mate had the biggest grin stamped on his face, and he was holding his arms out like he was ready to give the entirety of the Woolpack a bear hug. He looked incredibly goofy, but Aaron found himself smiling back. He’d been sitting there for about an hour, impatiently waiting for his best mate to make his appearance. He’d been looking forward to Adam’s release from prison, and it felt good to see the other man walking toward him like he was on top of the world. It was loads better than seeing him tired and defeated, as he’d been the times Aaron went to visit him in prison.

“I was wondering when you were going to turn up,” he drawled as Adam came over to stand beside him at the bar.

“Aw, don’t tell me you missed me!” his mate teased, giving him a playful nudge with his elbow. It was on Aaron’s good arm, but there was just enough force behind the jab to jostle him, making his left shoulder ache. Aaron winced, then saw Adam look him over curiously before he spotted first the healing cut on Aaron’s eyebrow, and then the sling. It made sense that he hadn’t noticed it right off. It wasn’t very bright in the pub, plus the sling was black in color and blended in perfectly with Aaron’s hoodie. “What’s that?” Adam asked. “Come on, what have I missed? I know you’ve got up to some trouble while I’ve been inside. No, you know what? Hold that thought! I need a pint before we catch up.”

While Adam was occupied ordering a pint from Victoria, who’d come out of the kitchen to cover the bar while Chas took her break, Aaron tried to think of what to tell him. So much had happened since Adam had gone in to serve his time. Aaron had allowed Charity to convince him to partner with Ross to break down stolen cars. He’d been caught by Robert and blackmailed into burgling Home Farm. And then of course he had been stupid enough to get further tangled up with the handsome blond, leading to a drunken night out and the creation of a video that still made him angry to think about. He’d slept with Robert, and then he’d managed to get run over by his other lover’s psycho dad. All of it left Aaron at a bit of a loss as to what to say to Adam.

“Come on man!” Adam groaned impatiently and rubbed his hands together as Vic poured him a pint. “You’ve got no idea how much I’ve dreamt about this bad boy!”

“Yeah, and I’ll bet you’re off your face after your first pint,” Vic laughed. Aaron shook his head as Adam eagerly accepted the glass, raising that “bad boy” to his lips and taking a long pull of the amber ale.

“Hey, go steady!” Moira cautioned him, sounding amused. She settled onto the stool beside her son, James sitting on her other side. “You won’t be fit for anything!”

“Yeah, five o’clock start at the farm tomorrow, mate,” James reminded him. “Now that Aaron’s laid up with that arm of his, we need you pulling your weight at the farm.”

“Hey? Did you actually just say that? I only just got out!” Adam protested, wiping off a bit of foam from his upper lip.

“Well, you’ve got a lot to catch up on,” Moira said. “You are a shareholder in the business, remember?”

“Yeah, true,” Adam sighed. He nodded to Victoria, who was still standing in front of them, pouring another pint for Aaron. “You going to join us, or what?”

“Er, little thing called work,” she teased. “Marlon’s off and Chas is on her break.”

Adam slapped his hand on the bar in disappointment. “Another time maybe. So come on you lightweights,” he said to Aaron and his parents. “Are we celebrating or what?”

Moira reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. “Victoria, let me know when that runs out.”

“Boom! That’s what I’m talking about!” Adam shouted, slapping the bar again excitedly. Aaron tried not to laugh at his mate. Vic passed him his pint, and he was able to hide his amusement by taking a sip.

Adam gave his arm another nudge. It was gentle in comparison to the first one, but it still made him nearly spill his drink down his front. “Oi! Careful!” he protested.

“I’ll race you,” Adam grinned, elbowing him yet again. Aaron raised his pint to his lips and started gulping it down, watching his mate do the same while Moira gave a halfhearted protest.

“Well, if you’re going to play drinking games, we’ll leave you to it,” she said, sliding off her stool. “Come on, James. We’ll be the responsible adults and let these two earn a couple of hangovers tomorrow morning.”

“Chas, you’re just in time,” Vic said as Aaron’s mum appeared from the back. “I’m headed for the kitchen. _You_ can keep an eye on these two while they drink themselves silly.”

“What’s the rush?” Chas asked them, even as she began pouring refills without needing to be asked. “You’ll be drinking us dry at this rate!”

“I’ve got a curfew now, haven’t I?” Adam pointed out with a smile. “I’ve got to make the most of my first night as a free man! Let’s get these drinks down, and _then_ you can tell me what’s been going on while I’ve been inside.”

"Time enough for that," Aaron said. "Let's get sauced." Adam let out a happy whoop, banging his hands on the bar with eagerness. It was almost enough to distract Aaron from the look his mum gave him - raised eyebrows, paired with a wry smile quirking her lips.

He ignored the look, as he’d been ignoring all of her sidelong glances and pointed hints over the past five days. He could only be grateful that she hadn’t cornered him into an unwanted chat about his love life. Not since her rant last Wednesday evening when she drove him home from hospital, anyway. He guessed that if Robert had bothered to turn up at the Woolie since she found out they’d slept together, Chas might have brought the subject up again. But since the older man had ghosted, she seemed to think it was all over with now. Maybe she was right. It wasn’t like Aaron had actually been able to get ahold of Robert to talk about things.

“Hey, come on!” Adam objected, giving his arm yet another soft nudge. Aaron was going to have bruises on that arm by the end of the evening if his mate didn’t stop doing that. “I’ve finished mine, and you’re still there nursing your pint like you don’t know what it’s for!”

Aaron grinned sheepishly at his mate, then tossed back his pint and got to his feet. They headed for the dart board, and it was as if no time had passed at all between them. It was one of the things he appreciated about Adam. It didn’t matter if they hadn’t seen each other very much lately, not with France and then prison. They never had trouble picking up where they left off. He finally managed to shake loose the dark mood that had settled over him since he’d been released from hospital.

Aaron and Adam horsed around, no doubt making fools of themselves in front of everyone in the pub. But it didn’t matter in the least. Not when he had his mate to taunt him while he tried to take aim at the board, his balance feeling a bit off with his left arm in its sling. And it definitely didn’t matter how many onlookers thought they were acting silly when Adam stuck his tongue out at him after Aaron’s dart hit the bullseye out of sheer luck.

He was caught up in laughter and the buzz of alcohol… which is why he didn’t notice Robert arrive.

He had no idea how long the blond had been there. Aaron didn’t see him until after he and Adam had wrapped up their third game. Adam had won the round, and Aaron was pounding his mate’s back to “congratulate” him on his win. “Ow!” Adam scrunched his face up at the pain, but Aaron caught the hint of a smile even as the other man cringed.

“Don’t tell me I’ve managed to hurt you? Me, with only one good arm!” Aaron joked, snagging his arm around the other man’s shoulders and giving him a shake.

Adam jabbed his fingers into Aaron’s ribs and started tickling him. “Oi!” Aaron shouted in warning, but Adam stuck to him like glue, even after Aaron had let go of his shoulders and backed up. “Stop!” he laughed, trying to get away as strong fingers rubbed over his side. He stumbled his way to the bar, unable to stop his embarrassing giggles as Adam hung onto him, easily finding his most ticklish spots. He collapsed against the bar, completely breathless with laughter and red in the face.

“That’ll teach you,” Adam said, hardly able to get the words out past his own giggling. He leaned against the bar next to him as Aaron tried to catch his breath. “Chas, bring us another round, eh? He’ll want one once he can talk again.”

“I hate you!” Aaron gasped, eyes still watering. Adam knuckled his side again, making Aaron jump. “No, stop! Alright, alright! You win, just stop!” he cracked up.

“Aw, you know you missed me!” Adam announced, taking mercy on Aaron and keeping his hands to himself.

“I’m sorry, do the two of you want to be alone?” Robert asked, his voice startlingly close.

Aaron jumped even higher than he had when Adam tickled him. He hadn’t even noticed the blond to his left. In his defense, his eyes had been so blurred with tears from laughing that Robert could have been standing there naked and holding up a sign saying “I’m out and proud, now come and get it!” and Aaron still wouldn’t have noticed him. There was no ignoring him now. Aaron drank in the sight of him, taking in the annoyed scowl that made him want to lean in and kiss Robert until he was smiling.

“So, who’s this?” Robert asked, nodding toward Adam. His mate was leaning on the bar, looking around Aaron to eye the blond curiously. “New boyfriend is he?”

“I’m only the love of his life,” Adam joked. Aaron could have sworn Robert was about to have a coronary.

“Oh, really?” Robert asked, sounding angry and jealous and ridiculously adorable. Aaron was pretty sure he’d think it was adorable even if he didn’t have a nice buzz going. “That’s funny, because just last week he was in here with another bloke. He can’t have missed you all that much, if you ask me.”

“Are you with someone?” Adam asked him, clearly interested. “A proper boyfriend? Nice one, mate!”

It was clearly not the reaction Robert had anticipated. He frowned at Adam, putting two and two together. “You’re not really his boyfriend, are you?”

“Nah, he wishes!” Adam chuckled, making Aaron role his eyes. “Are you a friend of his then? Good thing he had you around to keep him company while I was inside! Keep him from pining for me.”

“Yeah, like I’ve got nothing better to do than mope after you?” Aaron grumbled, glaring when his mate grinned at him. He tried to keep his eyes from glancing back over to Robert, whose intense gaze left no doubt that the blond was thinking back to exactly how he’d kept Aaron company.

“Adam Barton,” his mate introduced himself. “I live over on Butlers Farm.”

“Robert Sugden,” the blond said as Chas finally appeared with the drinks Adam had asked for while Aaron had been trying to recover from all the tickling.

“Bring us another pint for my new friend, will you Chas?” Adam asked with a smile. He missed the warning look Chas gave Aaron because he was swinging his head back toward Robert. “Wait, did you say Sugden? As in Victoria Sugden?”

“She’s my sister,” Robert explained.

“I think I remember her mentioning you! You’re famous round these parts, mate,” Adam told him, probably thinking of Robert’s reputation as a womanizing cheat.

“Infamous, more like,” Chas commented, lifting her upper lip in a sneer while she poured a pint for the blond. Her dark eyes were full of disapproval as she passed the drink over to Robert.

“Mum,” Aaron warned her.

“What?” she asked. “It’s the truth, isn’t it? Anyway, I don’t know why you’d stand up for him. He’s a liar, a cheat, and he clearly doesn’t give a toss about you if he couldn’t be bothered to check on you even once after you were out of hospital!”

“What’s going on?” Adam asked, confused. “Aaron?”

“He’s not told you yet about their little fling?” Chas asked.

“Mum!” Aaron shouted, but it was too late. Robert threw his hands up, furious and annoyed.

“Wait, what?” Adam asked. “You mean, you and him?”

“I told you not to say anything to anyone!” Aaron said, looking around to see if anyone had overheard her.

“Yeah, but it’s just Adam! Your best mate? You were going to tell him about Robert anyway, weren’t you?”

“No, I wasn’t, because that’d be me outing someone.”

“I just thought…”

Robert got to his feet, giving her a look of pure murder. “You clearly didn’t think!” he said. “You’d better keep your mouth shut from now on.”

It didn’t come as a surprise to Aaron that Robert walked away then, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation. Aaron wasn’t up to chasing after him. His ankle had suffered only a mild sprain in the accident, and while he was able to walk around on it, he definitely wasn’t up to doing any running. Especially not after he’d been standing on it for so long while he played darts. “Well done,” he commented, shaking his head at Chas.

“Seriously?” Adam asked. “You and Robert? I thought he was supposed to be some kind of lady’s man! You know, can’t turn round a corner without stumbling into some bird’s bedroom.”

“You’re as surprised as I was,” Chas told him. When she saw that Aaron was still scowling at her, she said, “Look, I’m sorry, alright? Don’t be angry with me,” she begged.

“You can’t go around blabbing his secret to everyone.”

“And I won’t. It’s just… you know? I was dead certain you’d tell Adam everything, or I wouldn’t have said it.”

“Well, he’s telling me everything now,” Adam said. “So come on, how’d you get hurt? And where does Robert fit in to all of this?”

Sighing, Aaron started his story from the top once Chas left them alone. As angry as he was with her, it was also a relief to tell Adam everything. It took a while to get it all out, but Adam made it easy to talk. He never made Aaron feel awkward or judged. It felt good when he came to the end of his story, and Adam sat there next to him filled with outrage on Aaron’s behalf. “So wait, you’re telling me Robert and Frankie were both chasing after you, and the second you end up in hospital, they both disappear?”

“No, it was after I got out that they disappeared,” Aaron corrected him. “I expected it from Robert because he’s still coming to terms with who he is. It can’t have been easy for him when my mum figured it out. It makes sense that he’d want to keep his distance.”

“What about Frankie? What’s his deal?” Adam asked.

“I don’t know,” Aaron worried. “He was completely gutted over what happened. He felt like it was his fault I got hurt. If anything, I thought he’d be checking in on me all the time, making sure I was really alright. I’m worried he’s avoiding me because he feels guilty.”

“You don’t think his dad got to him, do you?”

“No, the police told me his dad’s in custody. If Frankie’s avoiding me, it’s because he wants to, not because his dad’s got him. I just wish he’d at least answer my texts, you know?”

Aaron saw Adam’s brows lower at his words. “You sure it’s not Frankie you want to be with?”

“I’m sure,” Aaron told him. When Adam eyed him somewhat skeptically, he added, “He’s a mate, that’s all. Maybe if I’d met him first…” He considered that for a moment. It wasn’t difficult at all to picture himself with Frankie. They had always gotten along well. He reminded him a lot of Jackson with his cheerful appearance, ready humor, and teasing nature.

“What’s so special about Sugden?” Adam asked curiously, interrupting Aaron’s thoughts.

“I dunno,” Aaron said with a shrug, struggling to sort out his feelings about the blond. “He drives me mad half the time. He can be so arrogant!”

“And you like that?”

“No- I don’t know. It’s hard putting it into words.”

“Alright,” Adam said, not pushing it. “So what do you plan on doing about it?”

“About what?”

“Robert, you idiot! It’s not like he’s with his fiancee anymore, is it? You’ve actually got a chance at him now.”

“He’s still in the closet,” he pointed out.

“So? It didn’t stop him from being with you before, did it?”

Aaron found himself nodding at that. Adam had a point, didn’t he? There was nothing standing in their way now. All he had to do was figure out how to convince Robert that being with him was a good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for everyone's patience while I took a break from this to address personal issues.
> 
> I kept this chapter a bit short since I'm easing back into my writing schedule. Not sure it's my strongest bit of writing, but still, I hope it didn't disappoint! I enjoyed writing Aaron and Adam together, horsing around =)


	14. Chapter 14

**19 December 2014**  
Friday

Aaron hissed when a drop of hot radiator fluid hit his wrist - just above where the work glove he wore for protection ended. He jerked back from the miserable piece of garbage some poor soul was calling a car, shaking his hand as if that would soothe the burn. It didn’t. He swore under his breath, feeling his body ache all over. He wished he could somehow blame his current discomfort on Robert, but the other man was only indirectly responsible for Aaron working at the garage when he should be taking time off to recover.

He’d meant to follow the doctor’s orders to take it easy when he was released from hospital the week before on Thursday. That had changed once he realized both Frankie and Robert were avoiding him. By Friday evening, he’d made up his mind to go into work the next day, just to give him something to do other than obsessively call the two men and check his nonexistent messages. Aaron had showed up at the garage bright and early on Saturday. Of course he’d had no choice but to stay home on Sunday while it was closed, but he’d come in faithfully every day this week.

Although these days he wasn’t going to the garage to distract himself from how Robert was ignoring him. He’d given some thought to Adam’s question about what he wanted to do regarding his feelings for Robert, and had decided to give the man some space. Aaron was done concocting elaborate plans to grab the other man’s attention, like parading Frankie in front of him to make him jealous. He figured it was best to let Robert get his head sorted before approaching him again. Unfortunately, as soon as he decided to avoid him, the blond seemed to be everywhere. The garage was one of the few Robert-free zones in the village - unless Aaron counted his own bedroom (sadly).

Aaron knew his insistence on working while he was still injured was worrying his mum, and driving Cain and Debbie up the wall. Aaron was limited in what he could do at the garage with his left arm in a sling. He mostly just handed tools to Debs, Cain, and Dan while they worked, or made calls to clients. It made for very boring, very long days that Cain refused to pay him for. As his uncle said, “Don’t expect me to pay you for standing about here when you should be home resting. And you can tell Chas I’ve already told you to go home, so she can stop calling me every ten minutes!”

Being left to idle around the garage didn’t sit well with Aaron. He kept trying to find more things that he could do, even though he knew he shouldn’t. This morning, he had actually found a way to be helpful. When he had walked up to the garage, he’d found a steaming heap of metal parked right in front. The owner was some tiny old woman who kept wringing her hands as she stared hopelessly at the broken down car, which had definitely seen better days. It had overheated, and she’d been close enough to the garage to drive that last stretch before it gave out on her. Aaron couldn’t help but feel bad. He’d directed her over to Bob’s to wait while he took a quick look.

All he was intending on doing was looking, but when Debs had gotten there just as Aaron struggled to prop the boot open without hurting himself, she’d thought he was attempting to fix the car on his own. She was so fed up with him that she’d stormed out after shouting, “Fine, go on and try to fix this mess on your own. The sooner your shoulder pops back out of its socket, the sooner you’ll realize you should be at home resting!” Aaron had rolled his eyes, expecting her to come back once her temper had cooled. Only that had been well over an hour ago, and now he was beginning to think she wasn’t going to turn up until he called her for help.

He did his best working one handed, but it was mostly a wasted effort. Aaron was sweating despite the cool December weather. His back ached, his shoulder was throbbing, and now he had tiny burns dotting his wrist. They may have been small, but the skin was already turning red and puffy. Aaron didn’t have a choice - he had to call Debbie and tell her she was right, and that he was going to go home.

“Did I come at a bad time?” Ross called out. Aaron looked up and spotted the other man giving him a roguish grin while he strolled slowly over the gravel lot in front of the garage. He had his hands tucked in the pockets of his black winter jacket, looking chilled while Aaron stood there practically steaming in the cold December air. He grabbed the cloth hanging out of his pocket to swipe at the beads of sweat collecting on his forehead.

“Why don’t you just do one,” Aaron scowled, still not happy with the other man after the way he’d crashed Adam’s little welcome home party a couple days ago. That had taken place after Robert stormed out of the pub that night once Chas had outed him, and Aaron had been cornered into explaining his confusing love life. Aaron had only just come clean about breaking down cars with Ross when the other man walked in like he’d heard his cue. Ross had immediately started mouthing off, trying to rile them up because he was still resentful of Adam for the way Donna had died, and of Aaron for distracting Adam at the crucial moment. Ross hadn’t ruined the evening for the two of them, but he hadn’t made it any better, either.

“That’s not very nice,” Ross chided him, then tutted quite annoyingly. “And here I came all this way to give you a heads up. That’s the last time I try doing you any favors!”

Aaron sighed, feeling a headache coming on. “What do you want, Ross? I’m busy.”

He could tell it was bad news. Ross gave a little shrug, acting nonchalant, but his eyes were shifting about from side to side, checking that the coast was clear. “I thought you might like to know that Robert’s brilliant plan to have us rob Home Farm so he could waltz in and play the hero has just massively backfired.”

“Backfired how?” Aaron demanded, worried.

“His bird came up to me yesterday. Apparently she heard me talking to you and Adam the other night and recognized my voice.”

“What!” Aaron exclaimed, shocked. He thought furiously back to Tuesday night, but he couldn’t remember ever seeing Chrissie walk in.

“She confronted me; said she was going to the cops.”

“So why aren’t you in jail?”

“Please! I’ve got her running scared. No way is she going to the police.”

Aaron gave a laugh, shaking his head. “Miss money bags? I don’t think so, mate. She’d just pay for some extra security, wouldn’t she? Or maybe even pay to get rid.”

Unless he was mistaken, Ross actually looked a bit uncomfortable at that. Still, he puffed up a bit and said, “I’m telling you, it’ sorted. And don’t worry, I haven’t grassed on you, so no need to wet your pants just yet.” Aaron nodded as the other man turned to walk away. He’d only taken a couple of steps when he called out over his shoulder, “Can’t say the same about Robert, though.”

Aaron went after the other man, shoving himself in front of Ross to stop him from leaving. “Wait, what do you mean you can’t say the same about Robert?”

Ross rolled his eyes. “I had to tell her something, didn’t I? She was threatening to go to the police. The only reason she didn’t call them as soon as she recognized my voice is because she wanted answers. She asked me why I did it.” Ross gave a shrug. “It was either him or me, so I told her Robert paid me off.”

“Right, you said this was yesterday?” At Ross’ nod, Aaron said, “She’s had to have seen Robert by now.”

The other man put on an exaggeratedly sad look on his face. “I think that’s the end of their relationship for good. No way will she take him back after that! Too bad. I like happy endings.” Ross went around Aaron and walked away, whistling a cheerful tune.

“Hang on!” Aaron shouted, trying to think quickly. Ross stopped whistling and turned to look at him. Walking over to the dark haired man, Aaron said, “Have a look at that car, will you? Overheated this morning. I’ll be right back.”

“Er, I don’t work here anymore, or have you forgotten?” Ross called out as Aaron hurried away. “Cain fired me, remember?”

“Well, I’ve just hired you back!”

If Ross made any further complaints, Aaron didn’t hear them. He was on a mission to find Robert. He was a hard man to locate for someone who had seemed to turn up everywhere these last couple of days. Right after Aaron’s accident, Robert had completely ghosted, hiding away at Victoria’s and ignoring Aaron’s messages. The moment Aaron decided to try and give him some space, he decided to turn up around every corner Aaron turned, and in every room he entered. Aaron saw him at the pub having dinner every night. He spotted him at David’s buying a few groceries. And the man seemed to practically live at Bob’s cafe, always sitting there with a steaming Americano in one hand, and his phone in the other while he messaged mates, or read emails, or played games, or watched porn or who knows what.

Aaron ended his search at Vic’s place. After looking pretty much everywhere else, this had to be where he was. He raised his hand to knock on the door, then took a quick step back when it swung open before he could even touch it. “Oh!” Victoria exclaimed, hand flying to her chest as she jumped. “What are you standing out here for?” she demanded, stepping out and closing the door behind her. “You nearly gave us a heart attack!”

“Er, sorry, I meant to knock.”

“Never mind that. I take it you’re here for Robert?” she asked him. Her large hazel eyes were watching him intently, and he didn’t care for the way she was frowning at him. “You _are_ here for Robert, right? The man you’re having an affair with? My big brother?”

“Er…”

“Don’t bother trying to deny it!” Vic warned him. “I heard the whole thing when Chrissie came by last night! What were you even thinking? He was as good as married.” Aaron stared at her, shocked. His mind had been entirely on the Home Farm robbery, and he felt blindsided by this confrontation over his relationship with Robert.

Even though Vic was clearly - somehow - now in the know, Aaron still felt wrong speaking to her about whatever it was that he and Robert had going on between them. He bit his lip before finally asking, “How is he?”

Vic sighed heavily, looking exhausted. She rubbed under one eye tiredly as she answered. “Not good, I think. He won’t even talk to me! Chrissie stormed in last night, and then she started yelling about how he’d staged the robbery over at Home Farm in November. I thought she’d gone completely mad! So of course I told her off, but then Robert came clean. How could he do something like that?” Vic asked him, like Aaron would have the answers.

“He didn’t try explaining himself?” Aaron asked, doubtfully. That didn’t sound like Robert at all.

“No, he tried,” Vic said darkly. “He went on and on about how Lawrence was always trying to come between them, and he wanted to make some grand gesture to prove he was worthy of Chrissie. Most blokes take their father-in-laws out to see a match, but not Robert! No, he arranges some half-brained robbery scheme to make it look like he’s a hero that chased off the bad guys! Lawrence and Chrissie turning up when they were supposed to be out of the house didn’t factor into his master plan.”

“Vic…” Aaron said, torn by how gutted she looked. He could see now that her eyes were pink from crying, and that she had dark circles as if she hadn’t slept a wink.

He wasn’t sure what he would have said to her. Maybe he would have confessed to his part in the robbery. Aaron would never be sure, because she shook her head at him, wiping away a few silent tears that had slid down her cheeks. “I don’t know why I even get surprised anymore! All Robert ever does is get into trouble. I hadn’t even had a chance to get over the fact that my brother had hired Ross to stage the break in at Home Farm before Chrissie started yelling about yous two! How could you, Aaron? You knew he was getting married, and you still went after him!”

“Hang on, what’s Robert actually said?” Aaron demanded. The way Vic was carrying on, it sounded like she thought Aaron had done all the chasing!

“Nothing, really. He won’t speak to me.” Vic turned back toward her front door and unlocked it. She gave it a push so it swung open. “I hope you came over here for Robert, because someone needs to talk some sense into him, and he’s made it clear he doesn’t want it to be me! I’m meant to be at Andy’s going over wedding plans, so just… get in there, talk to him, and whatever happens, don’t let him do anything else that’s going to land him into trouble!”

Aaron watched, speechless as Vic pushed past him and hurried away, leaving her front door wide open. He wavered for a moment before stepping inside. It took only a bit of poking around to find Robert slouching on one of the kitchen chairs. He looked rumpled from sleep even though it was already noon. His blond hair was sticking up in places, and he was still dressed for bed in a thin white t-shirt and dark grey jogging bottoms. There was a steaming plate of food on the table, but it looked as if he’d shoved it away, like Vic had tried unsuccessfully to get him to eat.

"What are you doing here?" Robert asked somewhat rudely when he spied Aaron standing just outside the kitchen. 

He gave a shrug, hoping it looked more casual than he felt inside. His heart was beating fast within his chest, because he couldn’t tell yet if this was going to lead to one of their classic shouting matches, or something a bit more promising. Leaning his good shoulder against the doorjamb and crossing his legs at the ankles, Aaron said, “I thought maybe I’d come to check on you.”

“Why? I’m not the one who got hit by a car,” Robert pointed out, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah, but I figured I’d die of old age waiting for you to come check on me.”

The older man was quiet for a moment before he reached out and snagged the cup of coffee Vic had left on the table for him. Aaron noticed he took his coffee black. Robert stared down at his cup for a few seconds before setting it back down without ever taking a sip. “So… how’s your arm?”

Aaron snorted at that, thinking it was a lame attempt at small talk.

“No, I mean it,” Robert insisted, finally looking at him directly. Aaron felt the moment their eyes met, as if the other man had smacked him in the gut. It left him feeling breathless. “I saw the whole thing, you know? When the car came at you out of nowhere? I thought for sure that was it, that there was no way you were walking away from that. But when I went to check on you, you were still breathing so I called an ambulance. They let me ride in the back with you.”

“I didn’t know that,” he said softly.

“Yeah, well…”

Realizing they were at risk of having the moment become awkward, Aaron stood up straight. “The arm’s fine,” he told the other man, moving forward to pull out a chair for himself, sitting directly across from him. “It needs to stay in the sling for another week, and then I have to keep up with some strengthening exercises. I can’t overdo it, or they said my shoulder would pop right back out of its socket. It could have been worse though, so I’m not complaining.” Eyeing the plate of food Vic had prepared for Robert, he asked, “Are you going to eat that?”

“Vic forgets that I don’t like eating much after I wake up,” Robert said.

Taking that to mean _no_ , Aaron pulled the plate closer and grabbed up a fork. He started in on the scrambled eggs.

“I didn’t actually say you could have it,” Robert remarked, fiddling with the coffee cup in front of him.

“It was getting cold,” Aaron said around his mouthful, ignoring the way Robert narrowed his eyes at him. “It’s not like you were going to eat it anyway.”

“Could you please swallow before speaking?” the blond asked.

Aaron had to fight the strong urge to open his mouth and give him a nice long look at some “seafood.” Instead, he swallowed hard and stole Robert’s untouched coffee. Taking a swig, he said, “Thanks, mate.” The older man glared at him when Aaron pushed the mug back towards him. He hid a smile with another bite of food. Robert pulled his mug out of Aaron’s reach, apparently not so worried about catching his cooties that he’d reject the coffee.

“So are you going to tell me what’s got you holed up in here?” he finally asked.

“Like you don’t know?”

Of course Aaron knew. Even if Vic and Ross hadn’t already filled him in, he still would have known what this was about. Every time they were alone together, Robert was going on about Chrissie, and how his engagement was over and his life ruined thanks to Aaron asking him out for drinks. Still, the blond clearly needed to talk to someone, and Aaron doubted he’d been having very many heart-to-hearts with Vic while he was shut away in her house.

He gave a shrug, then said, “I probably do, but I’m asking anyway.”

“Why? So you can lord it over me, I suppose. Tell me ‘I told you so,’ and all that?” Robert asked, managing to work himself up.

Aaron set aside the plate he’d taken from Robert and got to his feet. Leaning forward over the table, he met the older man’s eyes as he said, “I came over here because I thought you might need a mate. Guess I was wrong.”

He was kicking himself even as he turned and headed out of the kitchen. The last thing he’d planned on doing when he came over here was leave in a huff because Robert was acting like an idiot. Still, he couldn’t seem to help himself. When Ross told him about what had happened, he’d just wanted to check in on Robert and make sure he was okay. Of course he should have expected the older man to push him away, but it still hurt. Aaron felt stupid for letting his feelings get hurt, but that didn’t stop him from trying to make his way out of Vic’s place in a hurry.

“Aaron!” Robert’s voice came from behind him. They were now standing in the living room, and Aaron turned to face him. “Look, I thought you’d come over here to have a laugh. I’m sorry, alright?”

“So is that what you’d be doing right now, if our positions were switched? Having a laugh?” Aaron asked.

Robert shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe?”

Sighing, Aaron ran his hand over his face. “Yeah, well not all of us are like you.”

The blond smirked, but had the grace to look a tad bit embarrassed. “That’s probably a good thing.”

“Yeah, probably,” he agreed, earning a smile from the taller man.

“Look, why don’t you sit back down,” Robert suggested. He was gesturing toward the sofa, so Aaron walked over and took a seat. Normally he liked to perch on the edge of the cushion with his elbows resting on his knees. The sling made that position painful. Instead, he sank back, slouching until he was comfortable. He caught Robert watching him, an unexpected little smile on his face. As soon as the other man realized Aaron was looking, he came over to sit down next to him on his right.

Aaron let the silence rest for maybe ten seconds before he knocked his good shoulder against Robert’s, giving him a nudge. “This is the part where you start talking.”

“I’m still not entirely sure why you came here,” Robert told him. “It’s not going to change anything between us.”

“I’m not trying to get with you, Robert,” Aaron said, exasperated. “I’m trying to be your friend.” He could see that the blond was unconvinced. “Forget what happened after I asked you out for drinks. Before that, you came round the garage asking if we could be mates. Remember? You got me a cup of coffee from Bob’s and everything.”

“Yeah, because I wanted to get in your pants,” Robert told him, like it was obvious.

And yeah, in retrospect, it kind of was. Aaron took that in for a moment before he shook his head. “Regardless, you need to talk to someone, and unless you fancy spilling your guts to Vic or Diane, it looks like that someone is me. So come on- tell me what’s got you hiding in your sister’s house. Treat me like a complete stranger, if it helps.”

Robert raised his eyebrows suggestively. “If you were a complete stranger, I’d get you a drink and invite you upstairs.”

Aaron tried not to read too much into that as a sign that Robert wanted more from him. He rolled his eyes, then said, “I’m not sleeping with you. That’s off the table, so just talk to me already.”

Seeming to realize that Aaron wasn’t about to let him avoid the topic, Robert looked away. “Chrissie came by here yesterday. Turns out she overheard Ross kicking off about something at the pub and recognized his voice from the robbery. Apparently she made a deal with him that if she promised not to turn him in, he’d tell her who arranged everything.” Robert gave a shrug, still avoiding eye contact. “You can guess how well that went over.”

“She’s not going to turn _you_ in, is she?”

Robert glanced at him briefly. “No. But only because she reckons it’ll give Lawrence another heart attack if he finds out. She’s made it clear that she’s not keeping this quiet because she still loves me.”

Aaron bit his lip. It was difficult not to say something about how this was for the best. He truly believed that Robert had only been with Chrissie because of her money, but he knew better than to say as much. Robert would deny it, and then they’d slip right back into arguing with one another. “Er… how long were the two of you together?” he asked instead.

“Does it matter?” Robert snapped. “It’s over. If I had any hope about being able to win her back after…” he pointed between the two of them, making it clear what he was referring to. “It would have been a long shot even then, but now? She told me she’s trying to talk Lawrence into moving away from Home Farm.” Robert shook his head angrily. “That’s not even the worst of it. Chrissie was in such a rush to tell me off that she had to go and say everything in front of Vic, so now _she’s_ angry at me too. And how long before Vic tells Diane or someone else about us? I love her, but she’s never been able to keep a secret.”

Of course that’s what he was afraid of. Forget the fact that someone might decide he should do time for his part in the Home Farm robbery! He was more concerned about the fact that his little sister now knew that he’d been with a man. Aaron was dying to call him out on it, but he had to remind himself to cut Robert some slack. After all, it’s not like his own coming out had been such a breeze. He’d struggled even after he’d gotten over the worst of his feelings of self-disgust and hatred. When he had started a proper relationship with Jackson, he’d still been self conscious and embarrassed. Aaron had been reluctant to show affection in public, or even stand too close. Then once he had crossed that invisible line, where he suddenly didn’t care anymore who saw them together, the homophobic comments he’d sometimes overhear would fill him with shame.

Coming out was a process. It was different for everyone. For Aaron, it had taken months, maybe even a year to feel comfortable with it. It was unfair to get upset with Robert for not coming to terms with all this in a couple of weeks. So as much as Aaron wanted to make some kind of comment on Robert’s priorities, he bit his tongue and tried to be at least a tiny bit understanding.

“H-how do you think she took it? Vic, I mean,” Aaron asked. She hadn’t seemed all too pleased when he’d seen her.

“She was shocked, wasn’t she? At first she was going on about the robbery, but then she kept asking me about when I’d figured out I was gay. I had to listen to an entire lecture about how I shouldn’t be afraid to admit it. She couldn’t seem to get it through her skull that I’m not gay!”

“Easy, mate,” Aaron growled, not caring for the way Robert was shouting about it. “Maybe you’re not, but I am. And I won’t feel embarrassed about it.”

Robert finally looked at him, apparently no longer needing to create some distance between them by avoiding his gaze. “I’m not homophobic, you know,” Robert told him, reaching out for his hand and clasping it in his own. Aaron had half a mind to pull away, but the look Robert was giving him was almost apologetic, like he hadn’t meant to sound so harsh. “I don’t care that you’re gay. It’s just that I’m not, and I get so fed up with people trying to tell me what I am whenever they find out that I’ve been with other blokes.” Aaron held still, slouched on the sofa as Robert pressed closer into him. “I’m not trying to make you feel ashamed.”

“Good,” Aaron murmured, gazing into Robert’s eyes. They were sitting so close together, and the tension was beginning to build.

“I like that you like men,” Robert whispered, leaning into him. Aaron could see his eyes drift down to stare hungrily at Aaron’s mouth. He wasn’t surprised when Robert closed the distance, but it was still a shock to feel those soft lips against his own. It was slow and gentle - nothing like the passionate kisses they had shared before.

He wasn’t entirely sure this was a good idea, but it was hard putting a stop to it with Robert pressed up against him like that. They were side by side on the sofa, Aaron still slouching on his cushion. Robert had turned in his seat, letting one leg tangle with his while he snuggled up to Aaron. His left hand was still clasping Aaron’s right, but he had raised the other to cup his face.

Shivering as long fingers brushed teasingly along his jaw, Aaron gave in as Robert deepened the kiss. His heart skipped a beat when the other man moaned, like Aaron was the best thing he’d ever tasted. Those long fingers - which Aaron had daydreamed about since their one and only night together - traveled slowly down his body. They skipped down his neck, then dragged down his chest before slipping over his hardening cock. Aaron choked back a gasp as they began stroking him through the layers of his overalls, jeans and underpants.

Robert pulled back from their kiss, giving them both a chance to catch their breath. He wasn’t inclined to stop there, though. Finally letting go of Aaron’s hand, Robert unzipped his overalls and then his jeans, getting better access. Aaron squeezed his eyes shut and let his head fall back against the cushion as Robert began stroking him. The blond took that as an opportunity to lean in and nuzzle against Aaron’s neck. He felt teeth nip at him gently before the other man found the spot he wanted and began to suck. No doubt Aaron would have a giant love bite to show for it the next day, but he found the thought oddly arousing.

He might never tell Robert so, but the blond was good with his hands. Really good. He applied just the right amount of pressure as he jerked Aaron off. The way the pad of his thumb would occasionally stroke over the head of his cock, or brush along the underside was enough to make Aaron slowly come apart. It was too good. Panting, Aaron finally shouted, “Stop, or I’ll come!” That hand continued torturing him, and Aaron had to grip Robert’s wrist to stop him. “Fuck, Robert,” he gasped, having a hard time making his eyes focus.

The other man pressed a kiss to his cheek, then whispered in his ear. “Are you offering?”

“Fuck yes!”

They stumbled to their feet, and Robert suddenly seemed to remember Aaron’s injury. “Are you sure you’re okay to- you know? With your arm?”

Aaron pressed up against Robert, using his free arm to grab him by the back of the neck and pull him down for a long, deep kiss. That seemed to reassure the blond, who raised his thin white t-shirt up over his head and let it fall to the floor. He watched the taller man undress while Aaron kicked off his own boots, then unclasped his sling. He needed to take it off so he could shrug out of his overalls, which he then stepped out of after letting them fall down around his ankles. His jeans came off next. He shoved them down his legs, leaving him in just his black boxer briefs and matching t-shirt. He was reluctant to take his top off, not wanting to reveal the combination of old scars and fresh scrapes and bruises. He was well on his way to healing after getting run down, but his body was still a bit raw looking. Aaron didn’t think the injuries were very sexy, and he didn’t want to kill the mood.

A very naked Robert wrapped himself around him, hands gripping his sides to pull him in close. “My room,” the blond murmured. “I’ve got what we need up there.”

Feeling a bit breathless, Aaron simply nodded. He followed when Robert grabbed his hand and lead him up the stairs to one of the bedrooms. As soon as the door closed behind them, Robert pulled him in against his body and kissed him hard, like he couldn’t wait even one more second to have him. Aaron couldn’t help but respond to that passion, feeling every part of his body throbbing with need. He clung to the taller man as they shuffled toward the bed. He had just enough presence of mind left not to throw himself down onto the mattress when his knees knocked against it. His shoulder was still fragile, and he had to remember that.

“You should be on top,” Aaron panted as he sat down on the mattress and eased back so he could lie flat on his back. “I’ve got to make sure not to hold any of my weight on my arm.”

“You just want me riding you again,” Robert teased, crawling onto the bed and straddling Aaron’s hips. He wriggled his bottom, teasing Aaron’s hardness, which was still trapped inside his underpants. “What, not going to bother denying it?”

“What’s the point? It’s not like you can’t tell I like having you on me.” Robert smirked as he began grinding on Aaron, rocking against him rhythmically. He was pretty sure that if the other man kept that up long enough, he could come from the combination of the light friction and how good Robert looked doing it.

Aaron could feel the thrill of the moment from the tips of his reddening ears down to his toes that just wanted to curl under. He could wish he wasn’t injured for this, but he wasn’t about to pass this up - not when Robert was perched naked on top of him. Filled with anticipation, Aaron settled in comfortably on the soft mattress, and adjusted the pillows behind him to help prop him up. “I must not be doing this right if you’re getting ready for bed,” Robert commented.

Smoothing his hands up Robert’s thighs where they straddled him, Aaron watched the older man shiver while his rough hands traced that soft, almost hairless skin. “Don’t stop,” he whispered. “I just need you to do most of the work this time.”

“Alright,” Robert said softly, his face more open than it usually was. He stroked Aaron’s covered chest, then gripped handfuls of his black t-shirt. “But if I’m going to let you sit back and relax for this, then you owe me a blowjob later. I get to choose when and where.” Aaron rolled his eyes at that, then yelped when Robert sneaked a hand under his t-shirt and playfully twisted his nipple. He tensed to flip them over, but the older man flattened his palms on Aaron’s pecs, holding him down. “I don’t think so,” Robert chuckled before leaning down to give him a kiss. “You’re supposed to just lay there, remember?”

“I’ll make sure to give you the worst blowjob ever if you don’t treat me right,” Aaron warned him.

Robert gave him a wounded look. “What kind of joke is that? Bad blowjobs are not funny.”

That startled a laugh out of Aaron. Laughing was the last thing he thought he’d be doing in bed with Robert, but underneath those irritating layers of arrogance and pride, the older man was actually quite funny. His mirth died abruptly when the blond rubbed his round, bare arse against Aaron’s hardness, making his breath catch. He tightened his grip on those strong, thick thighs as Robert bent forward to kiss him. That expert mouth joined his in a sophisticated little dance of tongue and lips, showing off his skill while they were both still aware enough to enjoy it. Later - once they were both sweating, and panting, and making all sorts of animal noises - Aaron knew from experience that Robert would abandon that skill and get wonderfully, beautifully sloppy.

But that would come later. For now, Aaron sank into the feeling of those silky lips moving against his own. Robert nibbled along his jaw, working his way down Aaron’s neck until he encountered the black t-shirt. “This,” Robert said, gripping it by the hem, “has got to go.”

Aaron bit his lip, tensing up a bit as the other man helped him out of the t-shirt. Robert took his time exploring the wounds that were exposed. The cuts and scrapes had faded into tender red lines that speckled his torso. Aaron suspected that most of those marks were souvenirs from the broken windshield, and some were clearly from landing hard on the pavement. His skin was dappled with bruises in various stages of healing. The ones around his shoulder were still a dark purple, while others had tinged his flesh a sickly yellow.

He’d thought Robert would be turned off by the sight of it, but the older man surprised him. The way he pressed his lips softly to each mark, kisses fluttering lightly over Aaron’s chest and down his abs…. It was almost like he cared. Aaron was squirming, impatient for more as Robert shifted lower. He eagerly braced his feet on the mattress and lifted his hips off the bed once the blond slid off of him to grasp the band of his underpants to pull them down. 

Robert tossed aside the black boxer briefs, and Aaron watched as those blue-green eyes skimmed over him while he laid back against the pillows. He felt his own cock bob eagerly when Robert made a soft, involuntary noise in the back of his throat at the sight of him. Aaron saw that gaze zero in on his hardened length, and he was quivering with need while Robert crawled over his legs. The blond nudged at them, wordlessly asking Aaron to spread them so that his body could lay between them. Aaron’s breath came quick at the perfect image Robert made there, nestled between his thighs. He took in every detail: how that thick, flaxen hair stood on end, somehow managing to look sexy rather than ridiculous; how swollen and pink those lips were after countless kisses; how wide those shoulders were, pushing Aaron’s legs further apart to accommodate the breadth of them; and how from this close, Aaron could see golden freckles dusting over the bridge of Robert’s nose and across his cheekbones.

He couldn’t help but reach out, calloused fingers weaving through the silken strands of blond hair and gently grabbing hold. Robert took it as a sign that he was ready for more - and he was, but mostly he just wanted to touch the other man. Aaron moaned when those reddened lips parted, then stretched as Robert took him into his mouth, using one hand to hold Aaron’s cock where he wanted it. The pace was slow at first, and exploratory. The older man was taking his time, tongue and lips searching out his most sensitive spots.

Robert teased him mercilessly until he was a mess, his skin slick with sweat and his length wet with precum and spit. Aaron was given a chance to catch his breath and come down from the edge when the older man got up to grab lube and condoms from the top drawer of his dresser. He carried them back to bed, then knelt beside Aaron. “I want you to watch me,” Robert said, his voice roughened after how deeply he’d taken Aaron’s length down his throat.

All Aaron could do was nod, although he really hadn’t needed Robert to tell him to watch. How could he do anything else when the other man placed lube on his own fingers, then reached back to begin opening himself up? Aaron wondered if being watched was a turn on for Robert. Despite Aaron barely having touched him so far, Robert was very obviously aroused. His dick was hard, the thick length of it flushed a rosy pink as the older man sank his fingers into his own hole. Those light colored eyes were hungry, devouring every inch of Aaron’s body. It was clear that Robert found the sight of him as alluring as Aaron found him. Wanting to play on that, he ran his hands along his own body while Robert worked to stretch himself wide. Aaron let his fingers play over his own nipples, and he cupped himself, massaging his balls and pulling at his cock. It was exhilarating to see Robert’s chest heaving as he panted, eyes darkening while he watched Aaron touch himself.

Finally Robert was pulling his fingers free, then impatiently ripping open a condom that he was quick to put on Aaron. He was desperate for the other man by the time Robert straddled him. He knew he was groaning deep in his throat as he was slowly engulfed by tight, tight heat. Aaron didn’t care how loud he was being when Robert seated himself on him until Aaron’s cock was stuffed as deep inside of him as it could go. And then Robert was moving over him, his slick hole seeming to suck him in deeper. He’d said he would do all the work, and that’s exactly what he did. All Aaron could do as he laid there under the other man was help hold him steady as Robert impaled himself on Aaron’s length over and over again. He started with his hands at Robert’s waist, but it wasn't long before they wandered, gripping handfuls of that smooth, plump arse.

He never wanted it to stop; he was desperate for it to end so he could have his release. Aaron bit his lip, struggling for control, watching avidly as Robert fucked himself on his cock. Hearing Robert’s wanton cries, Aaron wrapped his fist around the blond’s dick and started jerking him off. The older man bucked, losing his pace at the first shot of cum that splattered across Aaron’s chest. Tight heat closed in around Aaron where he was buried inside, and he shouted when he came, his balls drawing up as he spent his load.

Robert collapsed forward, his weight pressing Aaron down into the mattress. He didn’t care. The taller man felt good against him, all hot and sweaty and smelling like sex. Robert pressed a messy kiss to his mouth, almost missing his lips entirely. Aaron smiled, tangling his right hand into damp hair that had darkened to a golden brown and pulling Robert down for a proper kiss. It was wet and had a little too much tongue and teeth, but it was still perfect. They eased up on the intensity, transitioning easily to slow, affectionate pecks.

There was a soft, tentative knock at the door. Neither of them even registered it at first until Vic’s voice piped up from the other side. “Er, whenever yous two are ready, I’d like to talk to you. Alright, I’m going now. No rush.”

Robert stared at him from up close, their foreheads pressed together. Aaron could tell from how hot his own face felt that he’d gone red with embarrassment. He couldn’t help wondering how long Vic had been home, and dreading how much she’d heard. If he was feeling that self-conscious, he expected Robert to be completely mortified, especially since he was in bed with a bloke.

Robert sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, like he was trying to envision himself anywhere else. “At least she waited until we were done,” he finally said, sounding resigned. “I hate being interrupted.”


	15. Chapter 15

**19 December 2014**

There was no chance for Aaron to enjoy the afterglow of finally being with Robert again. Not with Victoria waiting for them downstairs. The two of them scrambled off the bed, Aaron grunting when he forgot not to use his bad arm in his rush to get up. “Clothes, where are my clothes?” he heard Robert whisper under his breath while he scanned the floor. Aaron would have liked to stop and enjoy the sight of the tall man walking around the room naked, but again - no chance of that now.

“In the living room, remember?” Aaron told him, tying off the used condom and disposing of it in a nearby dustbin. He spotted his own underpants carelessly flung over a lamp shade across the room. Retrieving them, he pulled on the boxer briefs while Robert hastily grabbed fresh clothing from his dresser and threw them on. Aaron searched the floor unsuccessfully for his black t-shirt before he found it scrunched up on top of the bed.

He was tugging it on over his head when he heard Robert open the door. “Hang on!” Aaron hissed, pulling the t-shirt down hastily in case Vic happened to be lurking by the door. He wouldn’t put it past her, at this point. “I can’t go down there like this!”

The blond turned to look at him, blue-green eyes roving over Aaron’s half clad body. For a moment, the low-level panic Robert had been in since Vic had knocked on his door seemed to vanish. The worry that had tightened the skin around his eyes and etched grooves into his forehead faded, and he gave Aaron an appreciative glance. “You look fine to me,” Robert told him.

Rolling his eyes, Aaron said, “Just give me a pair of jogging bottoms like you’ve got on, will you?” Robert closed the bedroom door and headed back for the dresser. He pulled out a pair of plaid patterned pajama bottoms and tossed them to Aaron, who quickly put them on.

Aaron was very aware of Victoria’s eyes on them as they approached the head of the stairs. He noticed her gaze linger on his clothing. At least Robert was dressed almost identically to how he’d been before - thin white t-shirt paired with navy blue jogging bottoms this time, instead of grey. Not only was Aaron no longer in his blue mechanic’s overalls, but the bright red flannel pajamas were painfully obvious. Even if the living room floor hadn’t been strewn with their clothing, the change would have been apparent. Aaron hesitated on the stairs for a split second, looking at the scattered bits of clothing he and Robert had left behind. Should he pick them up now, or later? He couldn’t make up his mind if it would be more awkward to leave the clothing there while they talked, or have Vic watch as he rushed to pick up his things.

“Thank goodness!” Victoria exclaimed while they made their way down. “I know I said no rush, but I was worried you’d be up there for longer.”

“Having my kid sister listening in kind of killed the mood,” Robert muttered as they both joined her in the living room. He set his hands on his hips, maybe trying to appear intimidating. He only managed to look shifty, with his eyes moving from Vic, to Aaron, to the clothes on the floor and back.

“I wasn’t listening in!” Victoria protested, placing her fists on her hips and glaring indignantly at them both. Aaron wondered if the two of them realized they were standing the same way now as they glared at each other. Her attention moved to Aaron, and she frowned at him. “Anyway, when I let you in earlier, I told you to talk to him! Not… _that!_ ” She waved one hand between them dramatically. In no way did the gesture signify what she was talking about, but her message was clear nonetheless.

“Can we not talk about _that?_ ” Robert asked.

“Did you just come back to spy on us, or was there something you actually wanted to say?” Aaron demanded, using his temper as a way to get past his discomfort.

“Please tell me you’re not going to have another go at me about Ross burgling Home Farm,” Robert told her, exasperated. “Because now is really not a good time.”

“Right, well as it happens, I’m not here for you. I just passed by the Woolpack on my way to Andy’s, and the police are there asking after Aaron.”

“Wait, what?” he snapped, mind racing as he considered the myriad reasons why the police would be looking for him. No longer feeling self conscious, he grabbed his overalls from the floor and struggled to put them on. He winced when he jarred his bad shoulder after he nearly overbalanced while trying to get his second leg inside the overalls.

“Why didn’t you say something before?!” Robert asked her.

“Well excuse me for getting distracted by the fact that I just found you in your room with Aaron! And I know what I heard in there, so don’t try telling me you weren’t doing anything.”

Aaron zipped his overalls, hiding the borrowed flannel pajama bottoms. His jeans were still scrunched up, kicked under the coffee table, but he left them there for now. He sat down on the sofa to put on his socks and shoes, then caught sight of Robert doing the same. Apparently the other man was going with him. “Do you think this is about Home Farm?” Aaron asked him, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his shoulder as he tugged his socks on.

“I didn’t say anything to Chrissie, I swear. Do you think Ross dropped you in it?”

“No, I spoke to him beforehand. That’s how I knew to come check on you.”

“Wait a second,” Vic spoke up, sounding shocked. “Aaron, are you saying you were in on the this?”

“I didn’t steal anything. That was all Ross,” he told her, lacing his boots tightly before standing. A glance at her revealed wide, shocked eyes. “I’ve got to go,” he mumbled.

“Hold on, you haven’t got your sling on yet,” Robert objected, grabbing it from the floor and standing now that he had his own socks and shoes on.

“No time for that.” Aaron started for the door, but the other man stopped him with a hand on his good arm.

“I saw the bruises,” Robert reminded him, thrusting the sling into his hands. “You need it. Probably shouldn’t have taken it off in the first place. And I know I was gentle on you, but not _that_ gentle.”

“And that is way more than I needed to hear,” Vic complained.

Aaron bit his lip, anxious to get to the Woolpack so he could figure out how much trouble he was in - and for what. Not wanting to waste time arguing, he tried getting the sling back on. It wasn’t normally very difficult for him to do, but maybe on account of his nerves and his need to rush, he struggled to get it into place this time. Then Robert was there, gently holding it to his shoulder and tightening the strap for him. “Good?” the blond murmured, adjusting it a bit for him.

“Yeah, it’s alright.” He caught Vic smiling at them, one hand over her heart like she’d just seen something adorable. Aaron got a bit hot under the collar and tried ignoring her. “Come on,” he told them. “Let’s go see what the cops want with me.” Robert grabbed his black jacket, tugging it on over his thin white t-shirt before following Aaron out the door.

The walk to the Woolpack was a short but tense one. He didn't think it was possible to ever feel prepared to speak to the police, but right then he felt even more flustered than usual. Chrissie now knew Robert was behind the Home Farm robbery, and he wasn't sure how long it would be before she started wondering if the man her fiancé had fooled around with was somehow involved. She had to be speculating about the identity of the second thief now that she had identified Ross. Maybe she’d already reported Aaron as a person of interest, and that's why the cops wanted to see him. And if that wasn't bad enough, now Victoria was aware of his part in it. She wasn’t the sort to just let it go, so after dealing with whatever mess the cops wanted him for, he knew he’d have to face her questions next. He just wasn’t sure if she was going to begin with that, or with the fact that she’d just caught him in Robert's bedroom.

Aaron promised himself a shower before confronting Vic. He hadn't gotten a chance to properly clean up after his time with Robert. He was dying for a quick rinse to get rid of the sweat, but he’d have settled for a few wipes. There was no time for it now, though. Aaron approached the pub just as his mum was walking a couple of uniformed police back to their car. “There you are!” she exclaimed when she spotted him. “I’ve only called you like a hundred times!”

“I’m here now,” he said, trying not to think about the fact that his phone had been in the pocket of his overalls, on the floor, in the middle of Vic’s living room when his mum had tried calling.

“Aaron Livesy?” one of the two uniformed men confirmed. He was fit, but Aaron would have liked him better if he wasn’t in uniform. He was dark skinned, with deep eyes set under stern brows, and a strong chin that looked like it’d break a man’s fist if anyone was ever stupid enough to try decking him. His silent partner was less impressive - tall and gawky.

Ignoring both policemen, he gave a nod toward them and asked Chas, “What’s this about?”

“We should probably go inside,” she suggested. Chas stood aside, freeing up the doorway so Aaron could lead the way through the pub and into the backroom. As he walked, he heard her give a protest when Robert and Vic tried to follow. “Hang on, where do you think you two are going?”

Aaron didn’t hear the response, but by the time he was rounding the bar, he saw Robert pushing his way inside with Chas on his heels. Vic trailed a safe distance behind them. Once they had all filed into the back, Aaron sat down on the sofa. Chas took the seat next to him, on his right, and Vic settled down beside her. It left the armchair to Aaron’s left for Robert, and the two police officers were left to stand in the middle of the room looking down at all of them.

“Alright, you’ve got me here,” Aaron said, feeling nervous but trying not to let it show. “What is it I’m supposed to have done?”

The two officers glanced at each other consideringly before the attractive one said, “Nothing, as far as we know. We’re here with information about Frank Chisholm.”

Aaron froze, staring at the police officer. That… was not what he’d expected. He’d thought for sure they were here about the robbery. He scrambled to switch gears, wondering why on earth they needed to talk to him about the accident. He’d already given his statement about the night Frankie’s dad had tried to run them over.

“What about him?” he finally asked, feeling his heart in his throat.

“The hearing was earlier this morning, and Mr. Chisholm made bail. His court date is coming up Monday, the twenty-ninth of December.”

“You are kidding me right now!” Chas spat, looking almost murderous. “That man nearly killed my son! And you’re just going to let him out?”

“Given that he was under the influence at the time of the incident, it was the judge’s decision that until it’s proven that he intentionally drove the car toward his son and Mr. Livesy, Mr. Chisholm should be granted bail since there were no serious injuries. A trial later this month can prove the level of his guilt.”

“That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Robert said flatly. Aaron glanced at him in surprise. The other man was glaring at the two police officers, his temper bringing color to his cheeks. Obviously Aaron felt the same, but he hadn’t expected Robert to speak up.

The police officer frowned at the blond slouched in the big armchair. “You’re welcome to your opinion, sir, but I believe that the judge understands this matter a bit better than you do. We have to trust that the decision to allow Mr. Chisholm out on bail was the right one.”

“Then you’re at least two kinds of stupid! You’re letting a dangerous man on the loose, and you’re too dumb to see it.”

“Robert!” Victoria cautioned, glancing nervously at the unhappy police officers.

“No need to step in,” said the officer - who was looking less and less attractive to Aaron the more he spoke. “We’ll be leaving now. Mr. Livesy, it’s our understanding that Mr. Chisholm is unaware of your identity or location, but one of the conditions of his bail is that he not attempt to contact either you or his son. You’ll need to report it if you see him.”

“How can I report him?” Aaron asked, frustrated. “I’ve never even seen the man! I was too busy trying to save my own life to get a good look at him.”

The second officer, who had so far been silent, finally spoke up. His voice was surprisingly deep for such a skinny man. “We’ll make sure that you and your family are provided with a picture of Frank Chisholm so you can identify him if he comes here.”

“I’ll make sure to let you know as soon as I see him. You know, if he’s not trying to run me over again, or anything like that,” Aaron said sarcastically.

Neither officer seemed impressed by his attitude. “We’ll see ourselves out,” the deep-voiced officer said.

They watched silently as the policemen exited the room. The four of them sat for a moment before Vic piped up. “On the bright side, you’re not being arrested for anything,” she pointed out.

“Thanks for that, Vic,” he grumbled. “Now I know who to call anytime I need a pick me up.”

She got to her feet and said, “Fine then, I was just trying to lighten the mood. Although I’d think the two of you would be happier now that you’ve sorted things.”

Chas stared at Vic in surprise for a second before she rounded on Aaron. “Now she knows too? You nearly bit my head off for mentioning it to Adam, and then you turn around and tell Victoria?”

“We didn’t _tell_ her anything,” Robert grumped, looking irritated. “Chrissie came by to have a go at me, and nosy over there wouldn’t leave the room. Who knows? Maybe I could have softened Chrissie up if we’d had a bit of privacy.”

Aaron shifted in his seat uncomfortably, wondering if that was Robert’s way of saying he was still stubbornly clinging to the fantasy that Chrissie would take him back. And that was despite the fact that he’d arranged for her home to be robbed, failed to tell her he was bisexual or gay, made a video in which he taunted her and told her he was going to cheat on her with Aaron, and then went and snogged Aaron while still engaged to her. He might have been moved to say something harsh to the older man, but luckily Vic didn’t even bat an eye before responding. “Er, first off, what planet are you living on? No way would she take you back after… you know,” she said, raising her eyebrows meaningfully at him.

Chas was the only one in the room who didn’t know that Robert had planned for Aaron and Ross to burgle Home Farm. Believing she knew what Vic was hinting at, Chas rolled her eyes at the younger woman and said, “You may as well say it. There’s nobody here but us chickens.”

“Right,” Vic said, glancing between Aaron and Robert. He saw the blond man give his head a small shake, probably to let her know she shouldn’t mention Home Farm. “It’s not like she’s going to take you back now, and not only that, but from what I’ve seen, you’re sweeter on Aaron than you ever were on her! So who cares if I was standing right there interrupting your ‘privacy’ with Chrissie?”

“I’m just saying that a moment alone would have been nice,” Robert said, sounding rather uncomfortable. “Trying to have a personal conversation with my sister standing right there wasn’t exactly ideal.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Victoria said. “The way _I_ see it, I just saved you the trouble of having to explain everything to me later. At least this way, it’s all out in the open.” Clearly pleased with her own reasoning, Vic smiled at her brother and nodded once in satisfaction. “I’d best head off to see Andy. He’s probably wondering where I’ve been! Oh, and Aaron? Pass me that photo when you get it. No way am I serving that lunatic if he comes by the pub looking for you!”

When Victoria went, she left them with mixed reactions. Robert was practically squirming in his seat as he avoided looking at Aaron. The blond ended up getting to his feet and heading for the kitchen to grab a glass of water. As for Aaron, he was fighting off embarrassment. Vic was reading way more into their relationship than was actually there. Robert was far too conflicted to be “sweet” on him.

“Speaking of the pub, I should go,” Chas said, eyeing the two of them as they shied away from looking at one another. “I’ll be minding the bar. You know, if you need me for anything.” She was so obviously trying to give them space that Aaron could only sigh and squeeze his eyes shut in resignation as his mum followed Vic out.

Once it was just him and Robert, the older man said, “Can we just ignore your mum and my sister trying to interfere?”

Aaron stood up, trying not to let on that his feelings were very stupidly hurt by the brush off, even though he expected it. “Fine by me,” he said with a shrug. He immediately regretted moving his shoulder as pain shot down his arm and back. He’d used it way too much today, and the muscles felt tight. “I know you only came along because you thought the police were here to ask questions about Home Farm. As far as I’m concerned, we’ve got nothing to talk about. You don’t have to stick around on my account. I’m just going to go upstairs and clean up a bit. See you around, yeah?”

Leaving Robert standing in the kitchen with his glass of water, Aaron headed for the stairwell. He just wanted to run upstairs and take a hot shower. Maybe he’d feel better after letting his tight muscles soak for a while.

“Aaron?” Robert called after him.

He opened the door from the living room to the stairwell, not bothering to glance back at the other man. “Look Robert, I already know what you’re going to say,” he told him, moving forward. Hadn’t he already heard it before? Aaron didn’t think he could stand listening to Robert tell him once again that being with him was a mistake, and he only had eyes for Chrissie.

Aaron got to the foot of the stairs just in time for the side door to swing in as someone shoved their way inside. The door smacked into his bad arm, leaving him scrambling backwards and swearing. Cain entered like he owned the place. Aaron rubbed at his sore shoulder and glared at his uncle, who seemed unfazed at the cold welcome. “Oi, what’s with you?” Cain asked him. “It should be me that’s out of sorts. What were you thinking telling Ross that he’d been hired back?”

Aaron’s bad mood lifted a tiny bit at that, and he huffed out a laugh. “I forgot about him. Was he actually still working on that car? The one that overheated?”

Cain finally cracked a smile. “He was sweating over it when I came by. Seemed a bit bothered when I told him he wouldn’t get paid for the work. I told him that technically you’re not allowed to make decisions about who we hire, so anything he did for us this morning was just volunteer work.”

“I’m sure he was thrilled when you told him that,” Aaron commented, shaking his head. He could count on getting a visit from Ross soon. The other man would doubtless blow off some steam, but Aaron could handle the likes of him.

“He may have had a few choice words before I made him scarper,” Cain admitted. His uncle’s dark eyes shifted over Aaron’s shoulder, toward the living room, as if some movement had caught his attention. “First, tell me why Ross was in my garage. Then tell me what Robert Sugden is doing in your living room.”

Aaron glanced over his shoulder to see the tall blond moving toward them. “Debbie got upset with me this morning because she thought I was trying to work on that car on my own, so she left to prove a point. Only I couldn’t stick around because I needed to have a word with this one, so I told Ross to mind things for a bit.”

“What was Ross doing there anyway? Just paying a social call was he?” Cain asked suspiciously. Aaron couldn’t really blame him for being distrustful. His uncle hadn’t been best pleased to discover that Aaron and Ross had been breaking down stolen cars in one of the unused tractor sheds on Moira’s land.

Shaking his head, he said, “Just walking past, wasn’t he?”

Cain considered that for a moment. His uncle knew he was hiding something, but when he finally spoke, all he said was, “You need me to stick around while you talk to Sugden?” He knew what Cain was really asking him. His uncle wanted to know if Aaron needed backup for something he’d gotten into.

“No, it’s fine,” Aaron said. “Look, I need a moment with Robert. I’ll talk to you later, alright?”

His uncle pursed his lips, delivering a threatening glance at the blond standing behind Aaron. “Fine. Maybe I’ll stop by the pub later for a drink. We’ll talk then.” With a last suspicious look, Cain let himself back out, closing the door with a loud thud.

“Great,” Aaron sighed, rubbing at his eyes. “Now Cain thinks you and me are up to something.”

“So?” Robert said carelessly. “What’s he going to do about it anyway?”

Aaron finally turned around to look at the taller man properly. “Right, so you’re telling me you really want Cain nosing about in our business?” When Robert stayed silent, Aaron nodded. “Yeah, I thought not. Having Vic and my mum on our case was bad enough, but having Cain getting curious about what’s going on is ten times worse. If I don’t meet him for a drink later, he’ll start asking my mum questions.”

“You think Chas would tell him about us?” Robert asked. He didn’t sound nearly as angry at the idea as Aaron had thought he’d be, but that didn’t mean the older man was pleased about it. If anything he looked resigned.

Aaron gazed at him for a second, taking in the tired look in Robert’s eyes, and his disheveled appearance. His blond locks had never been properly brushed before they had rushed over to the Woolpack, leaving him with a serious case of bedhead. Where normally he might dress to impress in a collared shirt with a blazer, and tight trousers with expensive leather shoes, today Robert hadn’t bothered. The jogging bottoms, t-shirt, and running shoes weren’t normally what the older man left the house wearing. 

Seeing him like this brought home the fact that no matter how much Aaron might wish that he’d get over Chrissie so they could have a chance to explore a relationship together, the broken engagement was still fresh for Robert. Clearly he was struggling, and having Aaron show up in the middle of the day to take him to bed probably hadn’t helped his confusion any. Aaron really had meant to keep his distance until Robert got himself sorted, but, well, he hadn’t planned on the two of them being alone together. And when Robert had held Aaron’s hand and then kissed him while they sat on Vic’s sofa, it had seemed like a perfectly good idea to just go along with it.

But starting now, he was going to give Robert space. Remembering that the older man had just asked him a question, Aaron blinked at him while he tried to think what it was. “Er… yeah, she might do. I mean, Cain’s her brother, isn’t he? They’re pretty tight. I can’t remember it ever ending well when those two are keeping secrets from each other.”

Aware that is was now just the two of them alone in the stairwell, standing rather close to one another, Aaron stepped back just a bit to put some space between them. Robert shifted his weight, unconsciously drifting closer. Aaron really didn’t think it was intentional on the other man’s part, but he knew he had to wrap this up. Every time they were alone together, he felt like there was a giant magnet pulling them together. If he wanted to give Robert space, then he had to start avoiding him. For real this time. No cuddling on sofas or holding hands. Right.

“Look, I’m knackered and I need to take a shower. I’ll have a chat with my mum before I see Cain later, alright? Maybe if I get to her first, she’ll keep her mouth shut when he asks her if she knows what we’re up to. I get that you don’t want everyone knowing about us, so...” Aaron reached for the banister and placed his foot on the first step. “I guess I’ll see you around?”

Ignoring the puzzled frown on Robert’s too-attractive face, Aaron turned his back on the other man and jogged up the stairs. Robert could see himself out. No need for Aaron to stick around, prolonging the uncomfortable moment. He couldn’t help but cringe as he hurried through the upstairs hallway toward his bedroom, thinking about how terribly awkward he’d been. Had Robert thought it was weird?

Aaron reached for the doorknob to his bedroom, feeling a bit flushed. A creak in the floorboards had him turning, and then Robert was on him, capturing him by the waist and pulling him in tightly against his body. Soft lips pressed eagerly to his, and then Aaron was holding onto the other man for dear life, fingers of his right hand clenching a fistful of that nearly transparent white t-shirt Robert was wearing.

He was shoved back up against his bedroom door. Robert snogged him until he was breathless, and then pulled back enough that they could both gasp for air. The taller man reached for the doorknob, keeping hold of Aaron’s waist with his other hand so he didn’t fall backwards when the door was flung open behind him. Robert guided Aaron into the room, lips once again claiming his. He heard the door slam, and with Robert’s hands now working on the zipper of Aaron’s blue overalls, he could only guess that it had been kicked shut.

Aaron gasped, this time in discomfort as Robert impatiently tried tugging the overalls off his arms. “Sling!” he hissed, tipping his head back as he tried to get some air. Robert’s touch gentled, his long fingers working quickly to loosen the sling and pull it off while he nibbled at Aaron’s exposed throat. Once the sling was gone, he could feel his shoulder protesting. He’d put it through too much strain today, what with trying to work on that car in the morning, then getting into bed with Robert, then having a door bang into it when Cain had barged in, and now getting into bed with Robert again. It was hard to care about the pain when he had the other man softly tugging his overalls down his arms and then pushing them down his thighs so he could step out of them.

Aaron was toeing off his boots while Robert discarded his jacket when he remembered he was supposed to be keeping his distance. For some reason. He couldn’t remember why as he watched Robert pull his t-shirt up over his head, baring his chest. “W-we should go slow,” Aaron stuttered, feeling like his body was on fire.

“Fine by me,” Robert said, slipping out of his running shoes and shoving down his jogging bottoms and briefs. He watched the naked blond walk toward him, feeling his hardening cock pressing eagerly up against his boxer briefs. Robert reached out for him, grabbing onto the waist of the borrowed red flannel pajama bottoms and tugging Aaron close. Moaning as the other man pressed up against him and started to grind into him, Aaron nearly missed it when Robert whispered into his ear. “We can go as slow as you want. I could do this… All. Day. Long.”

Aaron gasped, thrusting against Robert. He bit back a protest when the other man pulled away. It was pointless complaining at the loss of friction, because Robert was working to free him of his clothing. Aaron impatiently stepped out of his pajama bottoms and boxer briefs, then let the other man carefully ease his black t-shirt off. “Robert-” Aaron got distracted by the feel of hands running down his body, but he made himself turn his face aside when the older man tried kissing him. “Hang on, I thought…I thought you wanted space?”

Robert rubbed up against him, his cock sliding deliciously against Aaron’s. “Who said anything about space?” the blond panted against his cheek.

Aaron squeezed his eyes shut as the other man ducked down to suck along his collarbone. He struggled to remember why this was a bad idea. He had liked the last time he had Robert in his room; waking up with him, wrapped around him. Although come to think about it, he could have done without the part where Robert woke up and freaked out. Remembering that made him speak up. “Wait.”

“What’s wrong?” Robert asked, pulling his lips off of Aaron so he could straighten up and look at him. Aaron found his direct attention a little overwhelming. They were still pressed so close together, and Robert’s face was right there, his eyes intent on Aaron’s. He foundered for a moment, feeling almost lost. Robert’s hands rubbed up and down his back comfortingly. “Just relax,” the taller man murmured, bringing his lips kissably close, then pulling back. Aaron found himself pushing forward a tiny bit, trying to chase Robert’s mouth. “We’ll go slow,” he promised, voice just a whisper.

That hadn’t really been Aaron’s meaning when he’d suggested going slow. He’d been trying to put the brakes on what was happening between them, to stop before they fell into bed together because he was worried it would get weird again. His eyes fluttered shut as the taller man finally kissed him. He kissed Aaron like they had all the time in the world for this. He did it so sweetly, gently teasing Aaron’s lips until they parted for him. Robert drank him in, as if all he wanted to do was stand there like that with him for hours. It could very well have been hours that they stood there. Aaron lost track of time, luxuriating in the unhurried manner in which Robert ran his hands over him, exploring his body with teasing fingers while his mouth tasted him.

When the other man finally eased him down onto the mattress, Aaron went willingly. He’d thought Robert was careful with him when they’d done this earlier, but this… this was something else. He’d never known Robert to be this attentive. He hadn’t been lying when he said he could go slow. Those big hands drifted over Aaron’s body, like the other man was learning the shape of him. Silken lips traced down his neck and his chest. Aaron was already sweating and trembling by the time Robert worked his way down below his waist.

Aaron let the other man drape his legs over those broad shoulders while Robert teased his hole with that clever tongue of his. It was warm and wet, tracing the edges of him. And then those perfect lips closed over him, sucking on the rim of his tightened muscles. Aaron gasped, squeezing his eyes shut and throwing his head back. Robert stroked his thigh soothingly with one hand, but he was relentless in his efforts. Aaron was helpless against him, every single muscle quivering before giving in and relaxing. His entrance loosened as if Robert’s mouth was some kind of damned master key.

Pulling back, the blond sat up and crawled back up Aaron’s body to kiss him tenderly. “Lube?” he whispered, voice barely registering in the euphoric stupor Aaron had fallen into.

Unable to form words quite yet, Aaron pointed at his bedside table. Robert rooted around in it for the supplies. He watched as the other man gave the bottle of lube a quick shake, then flipped the top open to squirt some onto his palm. He rubbed his fingers in against the lubricant as he snapped the cap closed with the other hand. Shifting on his knees until he was once again between Aaron’s thighs, Robert lifted Aaron’s right leg over his shoulder to give him access. He reached down to tease at the hole that was still loosened a bit, waiting for more. Aaron couldn’t stop a moan from escaping him when one finger slipped in to the knuckle.

They’d gone this far the last time Robert was in his room. It was as good as Aaron remembered it. Robert had no trouble finding that small spot inside him, fingers unerringly flicking over it. Aaron squirmed, trying to push down onto Robert’s hand, wanting him to stroke harder. “We’re going slow, remember?” Robert murmured, kissing Aaron’s knee where it rested over Robert’s shoulder. “Just relax, I’ve got you.”

“Harder,” Aaron groaned, hips bucking as that teasing touch fired up his nerves. He gasped when Robert licked him behind his knee, shocked to find the skin there so responsive. Realizing he’d found a sensitive spot, Robert used his free hand to hold Aaron’s leg up off his shoulder, giving him room to dip his tongue along the soft crease where calf met thigh. Aaron shuddered, eyes fluttering at how surprisingly good that felt. It was just the back of his knee, for fuck’s sake! It didn’t even make sense for it to feel that amazing, and yet it had him practically whimpering when Robert nibbled gently at the spot while his fingers slowly worked him loose.

When it was time, and the blond paused to put a condom on, Aaron was more than ready for him. Bottoming was an act of trust for him, but Robert had done his prep well. Aaron couldn’t remember ever feeling this relaxed and open before. He still felt it once the taller man propped himself over Aaron and began to work his way in. It burned, but not as much as it could have. Aaron squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on not tightening up. He felt Robert grip his chin, demanding his attention. When Aaron’s eyes fluttered open, the other man pressed their foreheads together and just waited.

It took a minute for him to get used to the feel of someone inside of him after so long. They stayed like that, breathing the same air until finally Aaron reached up to stroke his right hand through Robert’s hair. Gripping the other man’s neck, he held him in place for a kiss as he shifted his hips. Taking the hint, Robert began moving, rocking against him and slipping a hand between their bodies to grab hold of Aaron. His pace was unhurried, setting a rhythm with the thrust of his hips and the stroke of his hand.

Aaron wasn’t normally a big fan of bottoming, but Robert made the initial discomfort worth it. The burn was soon gone, and then it was just the feel of the other man’s cock hitting that spot over and over again. He was full, so full, and he was writhing under Robert, needing him to go faster. The pace stayed tortuously slow. He was groaning in frustration, nearing the edge but not quite there yet. And all the while he had Robert whispering in his ear, feeding into his torture. “Yeah baby, just like that. Slow, ungh, so slow! You like that? Yeah, right there, you like that? Show me how much you like it…”

Aaron clung to him, arms and legs wrapped around him. God, he’d do anything to make him go faster! He found himself responding to Robert’s whispers, willing to say whatever he had to. “Robert! Please! You know I like it- _mmm_ yeah, more! More, please…” He felt like weeping, and he cried out in frustration when Robert skipped a beat, hips stilling for a few shattering seconds before continuing that leisurely pace. Driven past caring what he sounded like, Aaron set his lips to Robert’s ear and breathlessly moaned, “You’re so good, so big inside of me! Ungh! Yeah, so big, I love the feel of you, only you. I want you to come inside of me. I want you so deep, right there, yes! Yes! Right there… Robert! Fuck me, fuck me, so good!”

“Tell me!” Robert gasped, hips plunging harder into him.

“Please, please, fuck me! So hard, just for you.” Robert shoved into him, and Aaron gasped triumphantly. “Only you,” Aaron moaned.

“Only me,” Robert growled possessively.

Catching onto what was turning the other man on enough to finally lose that slow pace he had set for them, Aaron shamelessly talked dirty to him. “Only you,” he swore, tightening his arms around him. “Give me that big cock- want it so bad! So big inside of me, god I’m full. You’re gonna make me come so hard. I want to feel you. No one else can fuck me this good.”

Robert pounded into him, slamming home with each word as he grunted, “No. One. Else! Mine!”

“Yours!” Aaron choked out, feeling the thrill of it deep in his stomach as Robert finally gave up control. The hand on Aaron’s cock that had been slowly driving him mad sped up. Aaron hung onto the other man desperately, and then his balls tightened and he was coming, ropes of cum shooting over his chest. He held Robert as the older man buried himself deep, a strangled cry tearing free as he came inside of Aaron.

It was like the room whited out for a few seconds when he orgasmed. He knew it had to have been as good for Robert as it was for him, because when he eventually came out of it, he found the blond sprawled out on the bed next to him, still gasping like he’d run a marathon. Well, he kind of had. “That’s the last time I’m asking you to go slow,” Aaron finally muttered.

Robert huffed out a laugh, looking over at him. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like that.”

“I thought I was going to die before I finally came,” he said. “You know, either that or I was going to push you away and jerk off like mad.” The other man broke out in surprised laughter, still sounding breathless. They fell into a companionable silence then, enjoying the feeling of being well and truly sated. He managed not to think about anything for a while, but after a time he caught himself thinking that he wouldn’t mind bottoming again if the opportunity presented itself.

When Robert did finally speak, it was clear his thoughts had gone in a very different direction than Aaron’s had. “Sorry about going all caveman on you.”

“What?” he asked, turning his head toward the other man.

“You know, the whole ‘mine’ thing. I’m not really the possessive sort.”

Aaron bit his lip so he wouldn’t say what he was thinking. Robert was apparently unaware of how possessive he could be. He’d gotten all jealous of Frankie when he thought Aaron was more than just friends with the lad. Robert was every inch the caveman - not that it was necessarily a bad thing. “It’s alright,” Aaron finally said. “It was kind of sexy at the time.”

“Do you think anyone will come barging in here if we get some kip?”

“I think we’re safe. Not like I have a nosy little sister poking around.”

Robert shuddered. “Don’t remind me! I probably won’t be able to look at her without thinking about that for weeks.”

They sat up and started pulling at the blankets beneath them so they could get under the sheet. Aaron paused in his efforts when he heard his phone start ringing from somewhere on the floor. It was in the pocket of his work overalls, which were bunched up right beside the bed. Leaning over the edge of the mattress, he started feeling around for the pocket.

“If you stay like that for much longer, I’ll take it as an invitation,” Robert teased him.

Aaron belatedly realized his behind was pointed right at the other man as he hung over the side of the bed. He jumped when Robert slapped his arse. “You’re going to shove me right off the bed,” he grumbled, finally finding the pocket and grabbing his phone. He winced as he struggled to get himself back onto the mattress, his shoulder feeling the strain of the awkward position.

“Just ignore it,” Robert suggested when Aaron checked to see whose call he’d just missed. The other man had shifted closer to him, so he was able to see the screen when Aaron unlocked the phone. He felt Robert stiffen beside him, and his voice was belligerent when he asked, “What’s _he_ calling you for?”

Of course Frankie would decide to finally reach out to Aaron when he was in bed with the blond, enjoying his post-orgasmic bliss. Sighing, he said, “I should call him back and ask.”

Caveman Robert reemerged. “Hasn’t he done enough damage? Why can’t he just stay away?”

“Look, he’s sent me a message,” Aaron said, going into his texts to read it.

_”Sorry I didn’t respond to your calls before.”_

“What calls?” Robert asked sourly, reading the message at the same time as Aaron.

“I tried checking on him to make sure he was alright,” Aaron explained as another text came in. “Figured he might need to talk to someone since his dad turned out to be a complete psycho.”

_”I know I have no right to ask, but can you meet me at my place in an hour?”_

“Why does he need to meet you there?” Robert demanded. “He probably just wants to get a leg over.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Shut up. Look, there’s a third message.”

_"I’ll understand if you want to blank me. Believe me I get it. I probably shouldn’t have bothered you."_

“Now he’s getting it! Not the sharpest tool in the shed, is he?” Robert said. “Hang on, are you replying?”

Since it was clear from the way Aaron’s thumbs were moving over the keyboard that he was indeed replying to Frankie, he didn’t bother saying so. He wrote out a message and hit send. _”I guess it’s good to know you didn’t fall off the face of the earth. What’s up?”_

_”I think I need your help.”_

Robert sighed. “Why am I not surprised?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is that more plot I sense coming up in the next chapter? I do believe it is!
> 
> Btw I've decided it's not easy writing dirty talk. In my head it sounds good, but typing it out is something else. Hope it didn't turn out terribly =/


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